Superman
by HereAfter
Summary: Relationships are complicated affairs. They take on a life of their own, becoming living, breathing things. But fundamentally every relationship boils down to two things: give and take. Hiei/OC
1. Unmistakable

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"I just think it's stupid. I mean really, if you can't tell he likes you then he probably doesn't."

I leaned back in my chair and waited, watching Keiko for a response. She was scrubbing down the counter of her family's ramen shop. Or, maybe I should say, her ramen shop. Keiko had taken over her parent's restaurant a few months after our high school graduation, when her parents decided it was time for them to move out of the city. There had been no official exchange of deeds and the shop's name hadn't changed, but everyone knew the place was Keiko's now. Hers and her boyfriend's.

"I don't know, Shy. It isn't as easy as you think to read a guy. Most of the time they want to be all mysterious, keep you waiting on the edge of your seat, you know? They have to keep up their image after all. God forbid, they seem sweet or caring."

I rolled my eyes and tossed the magazine that had sparked our debate onto the counter. Keiko dropped her washcloth and picked up the magazine, scanning the article.

"Read number six, the one about being flirtatious. Seriously, are they kidding? Guys flirt with everything that moves, it's not exactly a sign of love. Horniness, maybe? Love not so much." I leaned forward, propping my chin in my hands, and watched Keiko.

She glanced up at me and read out loud the part I was referring to, "'Reason Number 6: He's flirtatious. Guys get playful around women they like. It's a little dance he's doing around you to show his interest and his daring. However, he's not just being flirty, he's also probing. He's putting on a little show for you to see if you'll reciprocate. The more you play, the more he stays. Now shake that tail feather.'"

"You see what I'm saying?" The whole article was like that, putting all sorts of significance behind stupid, little things.

"Kind of, but I think the writer has a point. Guys flirt when they're interested. Yusuke was flirting with me back in junior high, long before either of us even realized how much we cared about each other. It's like their way of showing they care without having to be emotional."

"Or it's just a way to get in a girl's pants." I laughed as Keiko waved me off, dropped the magazine, and resumed cleaning. Behind me the door chimed and someone entered the restaurant.

"Sorry, we're closed for the night," Keiko said, without glancing up.

"I live here, and I'm pretty sure my house can't close for the night."

I glanced over my shoulder to see Yusuke sliding off his jacket. Inclining his head to me in greeting, he approached the counter and vaulted it in a single, fluent move. He pressed a kiss to Keiko's neck, murmuring sarcastically, "Good to see you too, babe."

"Sorry, Yusuke, I didn't realize it was you." Keiko turned into her boyfriend and kissed him.

"Alright, I can see when I'm not wanted," I joked. I slid from my seat and grabbed my magazine off the counter. "See you tomorrow, Keiko."

My friend pulled away from Yusuke and said, "Night, Shy, we'll continue this debate tomorrow."

Laughing, I tugged on my light, spring jacket and replied, "You aren't going to change my mind. Goodnight, guys."

As I left, the bell tinkling overhead, I heard Yusuke ask, "Change her mind about what?"

I headed for my car, which was parked half a block away. Keiko's parents had been nice enough to give me a job working at their restaurant back when we were in high school and three years after graduation I was still a Yukimura employee.

I liked the job and, while I don't see myself working forever as a waitress in a ramen shop, it will certainly get me by until I decide what I want to do with my life. I like the people I work with, after all my boss is my best friend, and the costumers tend to be good people.

I fumbled in my jacket pocket, pulling out my car keys. I unlocked my car and climbed into the driver's seat. Tossing the magazine into the passenger seat, I started my car and quickly backed out of my spot. Yet another perk of working at the Yukimura's was the commute, just ten minutes without traffic.

Turning up the radio, I allowed my thoughts to wander to the magazine article. I wouldn't have ever seen the magazine if my mother hadn't bought me a subscription last Christmas. What made her think I would like the magazine I wasn't sure, usually she did a good job of judging my interests.

I've made an effort to read the magazines, seeing as my mom spent money on them, but for the most part the articles just make me laugh. This article in particular, called 'Ten Ways to Know if He's Into You,' had just seemed too dumb to be real. Apparently, my opinion wasn't shared by Keiko.

I figure that, if I really liked a guy, I'd know if he liked me too. I wouldn't need some writer giving my guidance. Sure, I'd probably use the same reasoning as the article outlined, but I'd know he liked me without analyzing every little thing.

Or, at least, that's how I assume it would work, because my experience in the romance department had been rather limited. Have I dated? Yes. Have I been in a serious relationship that I thought might last forever? No.

So, maybe Keiko was speaking from experience and I was speaking from, well, inexperience, but I'd still like to think I could figure out if the supposed love of my life cared about me without the help of some writer.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I parked my car and pulled the key from the ignition. With a sigh, I locked the doors and headed for my apartment building. Why the hell was that article getting to me so much?

* * *

I was never as aware of my humanity as when I was around Yusuke Urameshi. He was so vibrantly alive that everyone else seemed dim in comparison, as though they were on the verge of dying.

I don't mean I see him as some kind of light; rather, it is as though Yusuke overshadows all others with his presence. He is the kind of person that I simply can't see the world without.

For years I had only heard stories about the mysterious Yusuke Urameshi. It seemed as though everyone I knew had something to say about Yusuke. Teachers passed on the stories they had heard from their junior high counterparts, boys murmured their thanks that they would never have to fight him, girls conveyed their disgust over his violence. But there were two people who I truly listened to: Keiko Yukimura and Kazuma Kuwabara.

I met Keiko during our freshmen year of high school, when she was still reeling from the sudden disappearance of Yusuke from her life. She needed a friend and I was more than willingly to provide her with one. My friends from junior high had gone to different high schools, leaving me in just as much need of a companion as Keiko.

It took very little time for me to realize that, though he was physically absent, Yusuke was still very much a part of Keiko's life. I would have been blind not to see how much he mattered to her. I learned in just that first year that Keiko would wait as long as she needed to for Yusuke to return because, quite frankly, she didn't know how to do anything else, how to live without him.

It wasn't until our sophomore year that she revealed the complete truth about what Yusuke was. I guess she just couldn't keep it to herself anymore. She worried about him all the time and until she explained that he was a half-demon, a hanyou, I hadn't understood why. I'd always thought he had moved or been sent to reform school, I'd assumed that with time Keiko would find him again because he clearly meant so much to her. The day she explained everything I was finally able to understand her worry. She couldn't find him; he wasn't even in our world. She would have to wait and pray that he would come back to her.

That same year she introduced me to Kuwabara, the only other person who could truly understand how she felt. Just as had happened with Keiko, I saw almost immediately how much Yusuke meant to Kuwabara. The half-demon was his best friend and, despite the front he put up, Kuwabara worried about Yusuke. Everyday that Yusuke remained in the Makai was another day that he might be killed, another day that might prevent him from ever returning.

When Yusuke finally came back to the Ningenkai and the time came for me to meet him, I had a hard time separating the stories I had heard from classmates and teachers from those Keiko and Kuwabara had told me. I'd seen pictures of Yusuke, I knew what he would look like, but I had no idea what he would be like as a person.

I wasn't even truly sure how much I could trust the opinions of my friends. Keiko had grown up with Yusuke and she loved him. Would she be able to separate her feelings from the truth when she talked about him? Kuwabara and Yusuke had risked their lives together, how much would that color Kuwabara's depictions of the hanyou?

In the end, Yusuke was exactly like Keiko and Kuwabara had portrayed him. I'd been nervous when I parked in front of the Yukimura's that day. What if Keiko didn't need me anymore? What if I didn't like Yusuke or, even worse, what if he didn't like me? Needless to say, my worry was pointless, within minutes of meeting him Yusuke had made me feel like we'd been friends for years.

In the years since I've met him, Yusuke has proved every story I've ever heard about him true, but rarely in the way I'd expected.

He had no respect for authority figures, but all the esteem in the world for those that had proved themselves to him. His respect wasn't something he simply handed out to all those that asked, it was something that had to be earned.

He was most definitely violent, but only when defending those he cared about. I came to see that Yusuke would do anything for his friends, even if that meant putting his life on the line. In particular, Yusuke lived for Keiko. I'd always had the sinking suspicion that Keiko cared more for Yusuke than he cared for her, but I was wrong, incredibly wrong.

The point of my ramble? I wanted what Keiko had. I wanted a man that would give so much for others, a man who lived for those he cared about, a man who would give his life for me.

* * *

Pulling into the parking lot outside the ramen shop the next morning, I realized immediately that my spot was taken. For six years I had parked in the exact same spot, it was habit, and now some nobody upstart had taken my spot. Grumbling to myself, I pulled in beside the car and noticed a familiar SUV parked on its other side.

So Kuwabara was here too, interesting. Usually, the big lug didn't show his face until noon time. He claims he's sleeping, but personally I think he is secretly training in hopes of one day beating Yusuke. For some reason I think telling him to 'keep dreaming' would crush his spirit.

I locked my car and headed for the ramen shop with every intention of informing Keiko about the annoying spot stealer. The bell chimed overhead as I entered and Keiko glanced up at me. She was standing behind the counter, preparing for the day's costumers, Kuwabara sitting across from her.

"Morning, Shy," Kuwabara yawned halfway through his greeting, distorting the words.

I waved and snapped, "Did you know some stupid, no good ass stole my parking spot?"

"There's no name on it, so it isn't your spot," Keiko said, smiling slightly.

"So, it's not my spot per se, but I'm still pissed off. Don't people have any respect for others?"

"How would not taking that spot show respect for others?"

I glared at Kuwabara. "If I had been able to park in my spot, I wouldn't be irritated, we wouldn't be arguing, and this whole morning would be going a whole lot better."

Kuwabara turned to Keiko and said, with the utmost seriousness, "I think she's hungry."

Nodding sagely, Keiko replied, "Feed her quick, before she attacks us."

"Haha, very funny. You two think you're comedians, huh?" I plopped onto the seat beside Kuwabara and tugged off my jacket. "Whose car is it anyway?"

"Kurama's. He and Hiei are upstairs talking to Yusuke."

"Go tell him to move his car."

"Shyle! Jeeze, does it really matter that much?"

I grinned at Keiko. "Nah, I just wanted to see how riled up I could get you."

"Now, who thinks they're funny?" Kuwabara muttered sarcastically.

Rolling my eyes, I asked, "So, why are you here this early anyway?"

"Keiko said something about me deciding a debate for you guys."

"Whoa, wait a second." I looked at Keiko, who had paused in her preparation. "You bring in Kuwabara to settle our argument. There is no person in the whole freaking world more obvious about who they like than Kuwabara."

"First of all," Keiko replied, "I wouldn't call it an argument." I acknowledged her comment with a dismissive wave of my hand and waited for her to defend her choice. "Think about it, though. Yeah, Kuwabara's really obvious, but Yukina was still oblivious until just a few years ago. What more perfect person is there to help us decide?"

I frowned. Keiko had a point. Yukina could not have been more ignorant of Kuwabara's affections, but that didn't make Kuwabara the right choice. "I see your point, but using your logic don't you think Yukina herself would have been a better moderator?"

Keiko sighed, "It is a lot easier to have Kuwabara come and help us decided, than to get Yukina all the way from Genkai's."

Further debate was cut off by Yusuke emerging from the stairs that led up to his and Keiko's apartment. "Damn, she's here already?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusuke was joking, I knew that, but we always pretended to bicker with each other. It was part of what made us friends.

Kuwabara grinned and rocked his stool back on two legs. "I'd watch it, Urameshi. Shy could kick your ass."

"I'd like to see her try," Yusuke grinned at me and dropped into a fighting stance.

"What the hell, Kuwabara? You trying to get me killed?"

He laughed at me and asked, "Where's Kurama and the shrimp?"

I had to admit, I was wondering the same thing. Even after all these years, I'd never met either of the two demons, which was no fault of my own. I'd always assumed that the others would introduce me to them eventually, but it had taken far longer than I had expected.

"Actually I have no idea," Yusuke answered, glancing back up the stairs. "Kurama, Hiei, what the hell is taking so long? Shyle won't bite and, even if she did, you could kick her ass."

I stuck my tongue out at him as he glanced at me to see my reaction. I started outright laughing when Keiko turned and whacked him on the back of the head. "Yusuke, for goodness sake. They've never even met Shy and you're making her look bad."

"Sound bad, actually." His smartass comment was met with a glare and he grinned like a kid with candy.

"Sorry, I had to grab my jacket." My gaze turned toward the handsome young man coming down the stairs. I recognized him from group pictures I had seen as Kurama. Behind him came Hiei, who seemed entirely uninterested in what was going on.

Yusuke commenced a useless round of introductions. "Shy, meet Kurama and Hiei. Guys, meet Shyle Iraheta." Kurama inclined his head in greeting and Hiei glanced impassively at me.

I waved and returned my attention to the issue of the magazine article. "I left the magazine in my car and since I assume Kuwabara needs it I'll go get it. Be right back." I stood up and had made it to the door when Yusuke spoke.

"Hey, Kurama's in your spot!"

"No shit, Sherlock."

"No need to be grumpy about it." Resisting the urge to flip him off, I let the door fall closed behind me and headed for my car.

The first thing Kurama said when I returned, magazine in hand, was, "I can move my car if you want."

I shot Yusuke an annoyed look and said, "No, don't bother. Yusuke is under the impression that he's funny."

"Hey, I am funny."

"Not really, Urameshi," Kuwabara said, grinning at the hanyou's outrage.

"You stay out of this," Yusuke snapped.

"Enough. Just give Kuwabara the magazine," Keiko sighed, returning to her work.

I flipped through the magazine until I found the article and then handed it to Kuwabara. "Remember to remain impartial," I instructed sternly. "You're no good to us if you take sides. While he is reading, I'm going to make a breakfast run ––"

"Told you she was hungry," Kuwabara interrupted.

"I thought you were reading," I snapped. "Anyway, if anyone wants anything…"

All speaking at the same time, Yusuke, Keiko, and our moderator, who clearly wasn't concentrating very much, told me what they wanted.

"Yeah, um guys, I have one set of ears and can therefore only understand one person at a time." They repeated their orders and I turned my attention to Kurama and Hiei. "Do you guys want anything?"

Smiling politely, Kurama said, "I'll just have a bagel and a coffee."

"Sure thing. You?" I asked Hiei.

"Hn. I am not interested in your ningen breakfast." Well, okey dokey then, no need to be snarky. I kept my annoyance to myself and prepared to make yet another trip to my car.

"Wait," Keiko called out to me and I paused at the door. "I'll give you some money." She was already scrambling to get her purse and find some money.

"I've got it, don't worry."

"No, I want to give you some money."

"I work here, you pay me. I'm pretty sure you're already giving me money. I'll be back in a little while." I ducked out of the shop and headed for my car only to find Yusuke already there waiting for me. Damn him and his demonic speed. "I'm not taking money."

"I'm not giving money. I figure you'll need help bringing everything in."

"Ah, good thinking." I slipped into the driver's seat and waited for him to climb in on the passenger side, before pulling out of the spot and heading for the closest breakfast place.


	2. I'll Run

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

Kuwabara waited just long enough for Yusuke and me to distribute the food and take seats at the tables Keiko had pushed together, before announcing that he had made up his mind concerning the article.

Keiko leaned forward in her seat and asked impatiently, "Well, what did you decide?"

"Impatience? How completely uncharacteristic of you," I grinned at my friend mockingly. "Are you worried that Kuwabara sided with me?"

Keiko ignored me and continued to watch Kuwabara, who made a point of slowly taking a bite of his breakfast sandwich, chewing, and then swallowing, if possible, even more slowly. Finally, wiping his mouth daintily with a napkin, he said, "Well, after much thought and consideration, I've decided that the article is absolute bull."

Silence reigned in the restaurant and was broken only when I whooped and burst into a victory dance, raising my hand to Yusuke in hopes of receiving a high five. Keiko eyed her boyfriend disdainfully as he slapped my upraised hand and then turned devastated eyes on Kuwabara. "You agree with Shyle? Why?"

Kuwabara hesitated, all his previous smugness gone. I burst into laughter when I realized that he had thought he would be agreeing with Keiko. He frowned at me and said to Keiko, "I thought I was on your side."

"My side? My side? Are you kidding? Do you see who I'm dating? If I hadn't read between the lines I'd never have realized he liked me. Of course I agree with the article!"

"Um, babe? You might want to consider calming down." Watching as Keiko turned her murderous gaze on Yusuke, I hurried to save his stupid butt by distracting Keiko.

"You didn't explain your reasoning, Kuwabara."

"Uh, right," he looked at me, struggling to get his thoughts in order. "Well, I figure the guy isn't doing his job if the girl has to analyze his every move. She should just know he cares, otherwise the relationship probably isn't that great."

"But what about Yukina?" Keiko groaned.

Kuwabara blushed and Hiei bristled angrily. I raised an eyebrow. What was with that? Did the demon have a crush on Kuwabara's fiancée? He'd have to get over that, their wedding was in a few months.

My attention was tugged away from Hiei and returned to the situation at hand when Kuwabara said, "I guess that, um, I didn't do my job right. You know, 'cause it took so long for Yukina to understand."

"In my opinion, Yukina didn't understand because she comes from a culture so different from ours. It isn't Kuwabara's fault that she didn't get it," I defended my friend. He grinned at me and nodded his thanks.

"Anyway," I drawled, "the point is that Kuwabara sided with me. Girls shouldn't need some stupid article to help them figure out their relationship, they should be capable all on their own."

Keiko sighed and shook her head.

"Hey, is that disagreement I see?" I narrowed my eyes at her and waited for a response.

"I just don't think that one opinion should decide this."

"You'd be singing a different tune if Kuwabara had agreed with you."

Ignoring my accusation, she said, "I say we ask everybody else their opinions."

I scanned over the group of guys, trying to figure out who would agree with me. Kurama? Probably not. I had a feeling he would think a relationship was complex and not as black and white as I claimed. Yusuke? Only if he doesn't let Keiko influence his decision. Hiei? I might as well try to predict what the Makai looked like, as try to guess his opinion.

A glance at Keiko showed that she was trying to size up the guys just as I had.

"So, how are we gonna do this?" I asked. "Should I just read the article out loud and they can decide after that?"

Keiko nodded her consent and motioned for Kuwabara to give me the magazine.

Clearing my throat, I began, "The article is titled 'Ten Ways to Know if He's Into You.' That pretty much tells you all you need to know about the article's content." A huff from Keiko signaled that I should continue without giving my own commentary.

"Reason Number One: He actively takes an interest in you and what you have to say. He's not just nodding and smiling and checking his watch every five minutes like you're trying to sell him life insurance. There's eye contact. He's actively listening. He's asking questions, relating things you say to his own experiences. If he's really good, he'll remember something you said and incorporate it in a future date. Try not to act too surprised.

"Reason Number Two: He's forthcoming. He wants you to know about him. This manifests itself in a bunch of ways. He'll share personal details about himself. He'll even be eager to cough up basic factoids such as phone numbers, his address and place of work. If he isn't giving up this kind of info, then he doesn't want you tracking him down.

"Reason Number Three: He'll mark his won't pee on you or anything per se, but he will exhibit some animal behavior. If he's decided he wants you as his female, he won't want to lose you. If there's any chance that you might be snapped up by another male, he'll stake his claim. He'll be tactile with you, slipping an arm around you, possibly posturing and standing up when another guy walks onto the scene. Watch out for some regression to a more primitive man. If you hear grunting, don't panic. It's his way of saying he likes you.

"Reason Number Four: He calls you back. Despite the stereotype, he will call you back. If you're a girl in demand, he won't want you to be the one that got away, so he'll call you to set up the next date or ask how you're doing. If you're getting calls for no reason, that's a good thing. However, you may want to invest in a good phone plan.

"Reason Number Five: He'll check you out. You'll bring out his spy skills in a good way. He'll talk to your friends to get the 411 on you. He wants to know more about you -- your past, your present, your likes and dislikes, water hazards, etc. He's doing his homework because he wants to impress you. He's gathering this intelligence so he knows how best to woo you.

"Reason Number Six: He's flirtatious. Guys get playful around women they like. It's a little dance he's doing around you to show his interest and his daring. However, he's not just being flirty, he's also probing. He's putting on a little show for you to see if you'll reciprocate. The more you play, the more he stays. Now shake that tail feather."

"How many freaking reasons are there?" Yusuke demanded.

Kurama laughed softly and answered, "Considering the title contains the word 'ten,' I would assume that there are ten reasons."

Yusuke grumbled something about smartass redheads and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly sulking.

"Are you done?" Keiko snapped.

At Yusuke's grunt of assent, I continued, "Reason Number Seven: He's always planning ahead. If he digs you, he won't want you getting away from him. To make sure you aren't prey to some other guy, he'll be making plans for the next date before the current one is over. A full calendar is a good sign.

"Reason Number Eight: He's attentive. He's been listening to you, and knows what you like and where you like to go. He treats you to your favorite things and places. He'll spring surprises."

I looked up from the article and said, "Just so you guys realize, numbers one and eight are almost identical. The author probably ran out of reasons and started bluffing –"

I would have continued to throw doubt on the article if it wasn't for a painful kick to my shin. Glaring at Keiko, I demanded, "What the hell?"

"Stop trying to influence their opinions. It isn't fair!"

"I would just like to point out that life's not fair." Keiko glared at me, not even remotely amused by my little factoid. Deciding to let it drop, I resumed reading, "Reason Number Nine: He'll blow off his buddies to be with you. It's always tricky managing existing commitments with burgeoning relationships. There are bound to be conflicts of interest at some point. So take it as a good sign when he'll ditch going out with the boys to see you instead.

"Reason Number Ten: Acts of selflessness. He'll take one for the team of you and him. These can be large or small acts. They can be as small as holding your hair back for when you've got stomach flu, or as large as suffering through a Utada Hikaru concert and pretending he's enjoying it because you're a fan."

I took a deep breath as I finished reading and watched the guys, waiting for one of them to express their opinion.

Kurama was the first to speak up and he did so slowly, thoughtfully. "I agree with many of the writer's points. Men who show an interest in a girl tend to do many of the things described in the article. On the other hand, I'm not so sure that a woman must analyze what her man does to understand their relationship. There should be some kind of instinctual feeling, women's intuition and all that. Then again, a relationship is a complex thing…" He trailed off, lost in his own thoughts. I smiled smugly at how well I had predicted his opinion.

"Pick a side, Kurama. Preferably before we grow old."

"Impressive use of sarcasm!" I extended my hand and Yusuke slapped me another high five.

Kurama watched us in amusement, clearly not offended by Yusuke's rudeness, before finally saying, "I believe that Keiko and I share a similar opinion on this matter. Due to the complexity of relationships it may, at times, be necessary for this kind of critical analysis." Damn, I had predicted him too well.

Keiko grinned and looked at me.

"Don't look so confident. That makes it Iraheta one, Yukimura one, with two votes left. You haven't won yet."

"Oh, but I will," Keiko said, her smug smile still in place.

"Before we continue, I say we make a bet."

"You do? Sure you want to risk that?"

"Bring it on!"

Yusuke leaned forward, bracing his arms on the tabletop. "I say the loser has to do something humiliating."

"You are such a guy, Yusuke," I said, laughing. "Loser is in debt to the winner. Their debt can be repaid at anytime. The winner decides when and where."

"Agreed," Keiko nodded in confirmation. I extended my hand across the table and she took it. Once we had sealed the deal with a hand shake, I turned my attention to the two guys who had yet to voice an opinion.

"Will I be punished for speaking my true opinion?" Yusuke asked, eyeing Keiko warily. I smiled. If Yusuke was afraid of Keiko's wrath, there was a good chance that he was on my side.

"To be fair you should be able to state your opinion without fear of consequences," I answered.

Keiko smirked at me and said, "To repeat your own words 'life isn't fair.'"

"Witty, Keiko, but I must point out that I obeyed your rules and did not continue to add my own opinion while reading, therefore it is only right that you do not blackmail Yusuke. His decision should be his own."

Personally, I felt like my argument was solid, but Keiko proved otherwise when she replied, "You may speak your mind, Yusuke, but you do so at the risk of sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Are you kidding? Keiko, come on!"

She ignored me, continuing to watch her boyfriend threateningly.

Yusuke glanced between us and then broke into a grin. "It doesn't really matter either way. I agree with Keiko. Girls are really dense sometimes. I can't blame you for needing help figuring out relationships."

"Yusuke Urameshi, did you just call girls dense? God, you are the densest person I know," Keiko snapped.

"Smart move, dumb ass. If you wanted to piss her off you could have just sided with me."

Yusuke looked bewildered. "What are you talking about? What did I do wrong?"

Kuwabara started laughing and clapped his friend on the back. "You just bought yourself a week of sleeping on the couch."

"Will someone explain what I did wrong?"

"Nah, we're going to let you figure this one out all on your own," I answered. I looked to Hiei. If he didn't side with me I was going to lose. "No pressure, but you're the deciding factor."

The fire demon glanced at me, his crimson eyes completely devoid of interest. "I have no opinion on this ridiculous matter."

"What?" Kuwabara shouted. "Look, shrimp, your vote determines if it is a tie or if Keiko wins. You have to have an opinion."

"I do not have to have any such thing. Your argument is entirely based around the human dating system. Demons do not date, we court our potentials and when we do so we make our intentions very obvious."

"Okay, so pretend you're human."

Hiei snorted contemptuously and looked away.

"Damn it," I muttered. The guys, even Hiei, looked at me. "What? I lost. I have ever right to be angry."

Feigning sadness, I looked at Keiko. "So what do I owe you?"

The girl shook her head and said, "No way. I'm waiting for my payment. Any time, any place, remember?"

"Double damn."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Keiko reminded us that the restaurant opened at ten and she needed to get everything ready. In no time at all we had cleaned up the mess from our breakfast and I'd joined Keiko behind the counter.

"Shy, would you mind running upstairs and getting my cutting board from the kitchen? I brought it upstairs last night when I was making dinner, but I need it now."

"Sure, no problem."

Climbing the stairs, I heard Kurama and Kuwabara say goodbye and the tinkling of the bell over the door as they left. The door to the apartment was unlocked and I ducked inside the familiar living room at the top of the stairs. The Yukimura's was like a second home for me, both during high school and now.

Compared to downstairs the place was eerily quiet and I rushed into the kitchen, knowing that the faster I moved, the faster I'd be downstairs. Returning to the living room in a rush, I let out a surprised yelp as I crashed into something. Or more correctly someone.

The collision had knocked me onto my butt and from my sitting position on the floor I looked up to see Hiei standing over me. I'd assumed he had left with Kurama, but apparently I was wrong.

I watched with surprise as he extended a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me easily to my feet. I was standing way closer to him than I would have liked, especially with the way I had to look up slightly at him. I've met very few people who are shorter than my own five foot nothing and Hiei wasn't one of them.

"You should watch where you're going."

"Yeah, right," I mumbled, rubbing my sore butt. I was uncomfortable, and not just because we were standing so close together.

I don't know why I hadn't realized it earlier, maybe I just hadn't looked at him closely enough, but now I saw that Hiei was attractive. Really attractive. Attractive in a way that Kurama's pretty boy looks just couldn't live up to.

I took a faltering step backward, trying to give myself some room to breath, to think. I'd been so close that I could feel the heat radiating off his body. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised; he was a fire demon after all, but being close enough to feel his body heat felt way too personal.

"Um, sorry?" Sometimes I impress myself with my own linguistic abilities.

"Hn." Hiei turned away from me and walked toward the window. On his way he picked up a jacket that had been lying on the couch. When he reached the window he paused and said, "Calm yourself, woman. I have no interest in you."

With that he jumped out the open window and seemed to disappear, leaving me very confused. What the hell did he mean? He had no interest in me? Good for him. I don't know why he felt the need to alert me that.

"Whatever," I muttered. "Demons are weird. I should have learned that from Yusuke."


	3. Trouble Is

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

Opening the door to my apartment that night, I had to stifle a yawn. I'd stayed later at Keiko's than I'd originally planned. We got caught up talking and the next thing I knew it was ten o'clock at night. Now it was way too late for me to go running like I had wanted to.

I try to run everyday, it's habit and I enjoy it immensely. It relaxes me, lets me get my mind off whatever is currently wrong with me life, though lately there hasn't been much to complain about.

I'd started running in high school when I joined the cross country and track teams. I'd been a fringe varsity running, never scoring points but always running in the varsity line-up.

There are definite perks to being a runner. Besides acting as a distraction, running prevents me from blowing up like a balloon from all the food I eat, a bad habit I like to blame on Kuwabara. And then, of course, there's the infamous runner's high. The scientific reasons for the so-called high go way over my head, but I can most definitely attest to the euphoric effect of a good run.

But tonight there was going to be no runner's high. I'm not crazy enough to go running at ten o'clock at night, not with all the wack-packs that live in the city. I'd go out and never come back, and while Yusuke would get a kick out of that, it doesn't sound particularly thrilling to me.

I flicked on the light-switch and tossed my jacket on the nearest chair. My apartment is tiny, ridiculously tiny. A combined living room and kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom make up the entirety of my living space, but, all things considered, I really shouldn't complain.

My only income is the money I make working for Keiko, which is entirely too much considering all I do is waitress. She claims that she has more than enough money, what with Yusuke being a demon lord and all, but I still think it's unnecessary. Of course, after years of being her friend I knew better than to argue when she told me how much I was going to be paid. But even with Keiko paying me too much, my pathetically small living arrangements are all I can afford.

Having already eaten at Keiko's, I headed straight for bed. I changed quickly into shorts and a t-shirt, set my alarm for early the next morning so that I could go running, and climbed into bed.

* * *

The blare of my alarm clock woke me. Rolling over, I slapped the obnoxious machine and threw my legs out of bed. Twenty minutes later, dressed in running clothes, my dark brown hair thrown up into a ponytail, I was standing in my kitchen stuffing a muffin down my throat.

I grabbed my spare house key off the counter and looped it onto the shoelace of one of my sneakers before tying the laces. Locking the door behind me, I left my apartment and headed for the stairs that led down to the first floor of my building. I live on the third floor and, considering that I run three miles almost everyday, I figure it would be rather pathetic for me to take the elevator.

Exiting my building, I set off at an easy jog down the sidewalk, feeling the thud of my feet on the ground and the slap of my key on the top of my shoe.

It was early, early enough that few pedestrians were out and the traffic was thin. Checking the street for cars, I crossed over to the park that is half-a-mile from my apartment. I always run in the park, preferring the scenic route to that of the city streets.

I ran a two-mile loop in the park before leaving the same way I had come. The streets were busier on my way home and I used the time to people watch, as was my habit. I try to pick out the people who are rushing to work, not a particularly hard task seeing as they are always the rudest.

I was out of breath and sweating when I entered my apartment. I headed for my bathroom, kicking off my shoes and stripping as I went. I took a long, cool shower and dressed for work at the restaurant.

The drive to work was boring and made longer than usual by the fact that I hit every single light on the way. Entering the shop, the bell tinkling overhead, I said, "Morning."

Keiko was behind the counter, working diligently to get ready for the day. "Hey, Shy."

"Did you know you work too much?"

She glanced at me, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"Just making an observation, no need to get annoyed."

"I'm not annoyed," she responded. "I just don't understand what makes you think I work too much."

"You're always preparing or cleaning or cooking or washing or organizing or –"

"Alright, I get it," Keiko laughed at me. She paused in her work for a second and then said, "I just want to make sure I do a good job. Running the restaurant I mean."

"Um, if I was running this place it would have burned to the ground by now. You're doing a great job."

"I don't want to disappoint my parents."

"If you're disappointing your parents, then mine are going to be chronically depressed."

"Shy," Keiko protested, "Don't be silly."

"No really, Keiko. You're running a pretty successful business and I'm working as a waitress. Who do you think is more of a disappointment?"

Keiko sighed and shook her head, but didn't respond. Knowing her well enough to see that the conversation was over, I asked, "What can I do to help?"

"Could you fill the napkin dispensers?"

There was silence for a time, while Keiko and I worked to get ready for the day and I finally broke it by asking, "So what were Kurama and Hiei talking to Yusuke about yesterday?"

"I'm not really sure. There's some kind of trouble in the Makai."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is Yusuke going to have to go back to Tourin?"

"I don't know. We haven't had a chance to talk about it."

I paused in my work and looked at Keiko. She was focusing intently, her lips pressed tightly together. I suppressed a sigh and went back to work.

It was Keiko's biggest hang-up about her relationship with Yusuke. She was never sure if he was going to disappear again and the worry ate at her constantly. Yusuke had never given up his title in the Makai and he continues to remain in contact with Hokushin, his second in command.

I was surprised when Keiko started talking, her words spilling forth rapidly, as though she was afraid that if she didn't say it now, she never would. "I hate that there's that side of him I can never relate to. I just hate it. What if he goes there and decides he likes it more? Why can't he just cut ties with that stupid world? Am I not enough to keep him happy?" Keiko stopped talking, her breath coming in harsh pants.

"Keiko, it's not like that. Don't you know that? Yusuke does everything he can to be here, but he can't just pull out of the Makai, his influence there is too important."

"I know that. I know that," Keiko murmured to herself, seemingly trying to convince herself.

Hesitantly, hoping I wouldn't upset her more, I said, "Do you know anything about what's wrong?"

Having regained control of herself, she replied, "Yusuke said something about a powerful demon causing trouble. I don't see why it's a big deal. Demons are always causing trouble."

So, there it was. That's what was bothering Keiko so much. If whatever was going on in the Makai was serious enough for Hiei and Kurama to come see Yusuke then it must be dangerous. Keiko was worried Yusuke was going to get hurt fighting in the Makai.

"Yusuke will be alright," I said. "He knows what he's doing."

She sighed and nodded. Recognizing another conversation as done, I focused on my work and the room lapsed back into silence.

* * *

Yusuke and Kuwabara made an appearance later that day, during the lull between the lunch and dinner rushes. I contemplated bringing up the conversation Keiko and I had had earlier, but changed my mine when I remembered what was going on tonight.

Yusuke and Keiko were going out for their customary Friday night date. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin their night by bringing up the sensitive topic of the Makai.

Instead I opted for a relatively harmless subject. "So Hiei has a serious stick up his ass, huh?"

Yusuke snorted, "'Stick' is seriously understating it."

"Yeah, the shrimp has a whole freaking tree stuck up there."

"Don't be so rude." Keiko's reprimand wasn't overly effective. Not considering how hard she was laughing.

"What brought you to that realization, Shy?"

"Oh, you know, just the whole I-don't-have-to-have-an-opinion-'cause-I'm-a-demon thing."

Kuwabara laughed and said, "Don't worry, you get used to that."

"To what?"

"Hiei sees demons as the superior race. We humans are rather pathetic in his eyes," Kuwabara explained.

Keiko frowned, "That isn't completely true. I think Hiei just doesn't want to admit that his opinion of humans has changed."

"You think he views us as the equals of demons?"

"Maybe not their equals, but certainly not as dirt like he used to. He just doesn't come out and say it because that would hurt his pride."

"You know what wouldn't hurt his pride?" Yusuke asked. Then, not pausing for us to answer, he said, "You guys talking about him, that's what."

I rolled my eyes and teased, "You're just jealous because we aren't talking about you."

"Damn straight," Yusuke laughed.

Shaking her head, Keiko said, "If you guys aren't going to help when customers come you may as well leave."

"Whoa, why the hostility?"

"It's not hostility. I'm running a business and I can't have you guys under my feet like children."

"Not exactly something to say to someone taking you out to dinner tonight."

Keiko ignored her boyfriend and glanced at me. "Speaking of tonight, are you sure you don't mind closing up tonight?"

"Keiko, I close every Friday. Why would today be any different?"

"I don't know. I just feel bad making you work Fridays."

"Why? It's not like Shy has any friends to hang out with."

Keiko shot an outraged look at her boyfriend. Grinning, I said, "Don't worry, Keiko, I've got it." I whacked Yusuke on the back of the head and he yelped in surprise.

"Jeeze, Shy. I was kidding!"

"Keiko was too far away to do it, I felt obligated to help her."

"Bullshit! You just wanted to hit me!"

"What are you gonna do about it?"

Yusuke lunged for me and I ducked behind the unsuspecting Kuwabara. Yusuke redirected his attack, causing Kuwabara to yell, "Hey, Urameshi, you can't attack me. I'm not involved!"

"What the hell, Shy? Did you chicken out?"

"Nah, I just outsmarted you."

Grumbling, Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara and dragged him behind the counter and up the stairs to the apartment. Over his shoulder he called, "This isn't the end, Shyle. I will get revenge."

"Revenge? 'Cause I outsmarted you? Way to be mature." The only response was the slamming of the apartment door.

Keiko laughed, "He's going to be mad all day."

"Sorry about that," I joked.

Remembering Hiei's weird comment from the day before, I asked, "Is Hiei under the impression that women like him?"

"Where in the world did that question come from?"

I shrugged, "He just said something weird yesterday, when we were up in the apartment."

"Weird in what way?"

"He told me to calm down because he wasn't interested."

"What?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too."

Keiko was quiet for a second, apparently lost in thought. Then suddenly she said, "What were you thinking at the time?"

"What was I thinking?" She nodded and waited without responding.

Feeling a blush spread across my cheeks, I said, "Um, I was thinking that he was more attractive than Kurama."

Keiko started giggling and then outright laughing. "What the hell is so funny?" I demanded.

"Hiei can read minds. He has a Jagan that gives him telepathic abilities."

"He has a what?"

"A Jagan. It's a third eye he had implanted surgically."

I shuddered and asked, "So he can hear anything I'm thinking? Not only is that creepy, but it's a violation of a girl's privacy!"

"Don't be overdramatic."

"Oh, yeah, because being offended that someone can hear everything I think is being overdramatic."

"As far as I know, he doesn't listen to people's thoughts most of the time," Keiko said, shrugging.

"I don't care about these 'people,' I just care about me," I complained.

"Ah, I see." Keiko paused for a second and then burst into another round of giggles. "So you think Hiei's attractive?"

"Yeah, I guess. What of it?"

"I was under the impression you still thought guys had cooties."

"Oh, shove it, Keiko. I've dated plenty of guys."

"Plenty?" she raised an eyebrow mockingly. "I only remember three such guys."

"My point is that I date. I clearly don't think guys have cooties."

"You know, the first step to recovery is admitting your problem."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"I think you're in denial."

"About what?" This conversation had taken a turn I was not expecting. Had I know Keiko would make this about my dating habits I would never have brought Hiei up.

"Your dating issues."

"Keiko, I don't have dating issues."

"Sure you do," she insisted.

"Then what are they?"

"Well, there's really just one: you don't date." I opened my mouth to remind her that I have but she continued without pausing. "In my opinion, you'd rather be friends with guys than risk a relationship. I know you think that you date, but you haven't in over a year. And why haven't you dated?" She paused, waiting to see if I would respond, but I remained silent, too annoyed to bother defending myself. Realizing I was going to maintain my silence, Keiko said sarcastically, "Oh yeah, I remember why. It's because last time you went on a date you got dumped. I just think that you have to get over it and start dating again."

Seeing that she had finished, I said, "It's not that I'm scared to date, which, by the way, is what you're insinuating. It's just that I haven't met anyone I want to date."

"Fine, if that's your argument, then why don't you date Hiei?"

"Because I'm not interested in Hiei."

"But you find him attractive?" I didn't understand where Keiko was going with this new line of questioning.

"Yeah, so?"

"Well then, what are your criteria for someone you want to date? You shouldn't be so picky. You'll never find someone this way."

"Maybe I'm not in a rush to 'find someone.'" I didn't bother to mention that she shouldn't be giving romance lessons. It's not like she has any experience dating. She and Yusuke have always known they were going to be together, even if it was only on a subconscious level.

"Shy, don't get angry with me, I'm just trying to help you."

"Thanks but no thanks," I snapped.

Further conversation was cut off by the arrival of the first costumers of the dinner rush. Turning my back on Keiko, I moved to greet the couple and take their orders.

I wasn't sure where Keiko's sudden interest in my love life had come from, but I certainly didn't like it.

That night I watched Yusuke and Keiko climb into their car and waved as they pulled away. Flicking the lock

* * *

on the door into place, I took a deep breath and planned how to get all my work done so that I could go home.

We closed at eight on Fridays because Keiko felt bad leaving me alone at the restaurant, which meant all I had to do was clean up the day's mess and then I could get the hell out of here. I didn't even have to prep for the next day because Yusuke had convinced Keiko to keep the shop closed on weekends.

I made quick work of cleaning off the tables and sweeping the floor, and then set to work on washing the pile of dishes that had piled up over the day. We washed dishes periodically but they accumulated anyway.

My fingers were pruned when I finally finished the last dish and began to dry the pile. I shoved a lock of hair behind my ear and sighed.

What Keiko had said about my dating habits had been bothering me all day. Was she right? Should I be dating?

I hadn't lied when I said that I hadn't found anyone I was interested in, but I wasn't sure why that was. Was I intentionally finding faults with guys because I was scared of relationships?

"Enough," I murmured. "There's no point worrying about it now."

I grabbed a pan off the counter and crouched down to slide it into its place. "I'll talk to Keiko about it later, without getting mad."

I froze, my hand in midair, when the bell over the door tinkled. Keiko and Yusuke weren't due back for at least another hour, but they were the only people with keys to the store. Had something gone wrong with their date?

The sudden stench that filled the restaurant immediately erased any chances of it being my friends. The only smell I could relate the reek to was that of rotting meat. I shuddered and began to breathe through my mouth. What the hell was going on?

"Come out, little girl. I know you're behind the counter."

Shit.

* * *

AN: I hate the way I was naming chapters so I've got a new way. The chapter titles are all going to be song names, but they might not accurately reflect what the chapter is about. Either the title may mean something in terms of the chapter or the song itself will. Regardless, the titles aren't really important, it's more of just a quirky thing I want to do. My point is: don't take the title to necessarily reflect the chapter's content.


	4. Face Down

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"I saw you, human. Hiding is pointless. Why not make this simple?"

It took everything I had to remain still. Every fiber of my being was screaming for me to run, to bolt like hell and pray I got out. Of course, I was well aware of how stupid an idea that was.

There was no way this intruder, this demon, was going to let me out. And I was sure that he was indeed a demon. Everything about him seemed demonic: his stench, his gravelly voice, the eerie way he had gotten in. I had to assume that he had picked the lock while I was concentrating on my work and then taken the opportunity when I bent down to enter, catching me off guard.

Taking a deep breath I pulled the pan I was holding back and held it against me chest. I doubted that it would provide me with much defense against the demon but it was comforting to know I had a weapon of some kind.

I pressed my back against the cabinets behind me and tried to get my thoughts in order. If I could distract him somehow, I could bolt out into the street and get someone's attention. The obvious flaw with that plan being that I probably wouldn't be able to hurt him badly enough to actually distract him. Not to mention that he was in all likelihood stronger and faster than me.

The stench of rotting meat hit me in another wave as I heard him come closer to the counter that was my protection. His heavy, scuffing footsteps reaffirmed my assumption that he would be stronger than me.

"It's silly of you to hide," he said, his rough voice a confident purr. "Are you planning something?"

I didn't respond, instead adjusting my white-knuckled grip on the pan. My hand was trembling and I tried for a second to make it stop. Realizing my efforts were in vain, I tried to think of a distraction, something I could possible do to get myself out of this.

Before I could get my thoughts into any kind of order, the demon said, "Here I come, little girl."

He seemed to leap over the counter and landed only a few yards from me. He was a beast of a demon, broad-chested and easily taller than Kuwabara. He wore human clothing, but it was clear after just a second of looking at him that he was not human. His eyes were those of a cat, the irises a molten gold. His shaggy brown hair fell forward into his eyes and he shook it back, watching me hungrily. Muscle bulged beneath the fabric of his shirt and I tried not to think how easy it would be for him to kill me.

Scrambling out of my crouch, I stumbled back, trying desperately to get into a defensive position. Before I could even get my balance, the demon lunged forward. I swung my pan wildly but he batted it away, knocking it free of my grip.

His hand closed around my throat, his jagged nails digging into my skin. Immediately my hands came up, scrabbling to get a hold of his wrist. Lifting me off the ground, he shook me once violently and then leaned forward, his breath fanning across my face. "Hm, you don't look like the picture I was shown."

I wouldn't have responded even if I could have. I averted my eyes from his, looking instead down at his hand. Praying it would make him let me go or, at the very least, hurt him, I dug my nails into his skin.

He chuckled, hitting me in the face with a blast of rancid breath. I gagged and then began to choke as he tightened his grip on my throat.

I was going to die. The desperate thought hit me as I struggled in his grip, my attempts becoming weaker as I started to give up.

And then he stopped squeezing. "You aren't her, are you? Well, I'll be damned."

Then, as though I weighed nothing more than a rag doll, he tossed me away. I slammed into the counter, my cheek colliding painfully with the edge, and then lay still on the ground.

Without sparing my prone form a glance, the demon once more leapt the counter and disappeared from view. A few seconds later I heard the tinkle of the bell and the sound of the door falling shut.

He didn't kill me?

I didn't understand what had caused the sudden change in his behavior and I certainly couldn't fathom why he had left like that, but I wasn't going to complain.

I pushed myself into a sitting position and moaned as my back protested. Grabbing the edge of the counter I pulled myself to me feet and then paused, trying to calm my racing heart.

My eyes landed on the edge of the counter, watching as a drop of blood dripped to the floor. Without thinking, I reached up and pressed my fingers to my battered right cheek. "Ow," I murmured as I pulled by fingers away. They came away covered in blood and I sighed.

Shaking my head to pull myself free from my daze, I grabbed my jacket and pulled my cell phone free of the pocket. I quickly punched in Yusuke's number and waited impatiently as it rang.

"What, Shy? I'm kind of on a date right now," Yusuke said, not even bothering with a greeting.

"I just got attacked by a demon."

"What? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I'm alive."

"Alright, um, stay there, okay? Lock the door and stay there. I'm going to call the others."

He hung up before I could tell him that the door had been locked when the demon broke in. Heaving a groan, I flipped the phone closed and stood still.

Quickly forming a plan of action, I slipped out from behind the counter and locked the door. Then, I grabbed a chair and wedged it beneath the door handle so that no one could get in without me noticing. All that was left for me to do was wait for someone to get here.

* * *

I glanced at my phone, checking the time. It had been fifteen minutes since I'd called Yusuke and still no one had shown up.

I shifted the bag of ice I held against my cheek and flexed my jaw. I'd washed the wound as best I could and figured that the best thing I could do was ice it. I had no doubt that it was going to bruise. I was going to look like I'd been in a bar fight, and, all things considered, I had been. A weird, one-sided, restaurant-version bar fight.

I had to assume that when Yusuke said he was calling the others he meant Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei. Quite frankly, I was hoping that Yusuke or Kuwabara got here first.

It's not that I don't like the other two; it's just that I don't know them. And I really just needed to see someone I was comfortable with.

Tears had yet to come, despite how much I wanted to cry, but I knew that as soon as I started talking about what happened I was going to start bawling my eyes out. Crying wasn't exactly something I wanted to do in front of two people I didn't really know.

I looked up when I heard someone rap their fist against the door. Kuwabara waved at me and smiled sympathetically. Dropping my ice on the table, I got up and pulled the chair away from the door, allowing my friend inside. He immediately wrapped his arms around me and said, "Wow, Shy, I'd never taken you for the fighting type."

I managed a slight laugh, but even to my own ears it sounded forced. Picking up on my distress, Kuwabara sighed. "Sorry, no jokes. Come on let's sit down and then you can try to explain to me what happened."

I nodded and pulled free from his embrace. Returning to my seat, I organized my thoughts and said, "Okay, I guess I don't really know where to begin."

Kuwabara sat down opposite me. "Well, why not start with how he got in?"

"What makes you assume it was a guy?"

Kuwabara grinned, "So I can't make jokes, but you can? That isn't fair."

"Sure it is. You didn't almost die within the last two hours; therefore you have fewer privileges than me."

"Whatever you say, little miss victim."

"Damn straight. Anyway, um, I'm not entirely sure how he got in."

"So it was a guy," Kuwabara interrupted, leaning back in his chair victoriously.

"Yes, it was. Does that make you feel better about yourself?" Without giving him a chance to respond, I restarted my explanation. "I was putting away dishes when I heard the door open. I was crouched behind the counter so I couldn't see him, but I could smell him. He jumped the counter and grabbed me by the throat."

For the first time, Kuwabara actually took in my physical appearance – my bloody cheek, my red throat. "He really did a number on you, huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. I can't imagine what he would have done if I was who he was looking for."

"What?" Kuwabara asked alarmed. "He was looking for someone?"

"I think so. He said something about me not looking like some picture. Then he threw me and I hit the counter, which is what happened to my cheek."

"Shit."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Beyond you getting beat up? Well, if this demon was looking for someone then he probably realizes that Urameshi lives here. He was probably looking for Keiko."

"Shit."

"Exactly."

We lapsed into silence for few minutes, each considering the horrible implications of what Kuwabara had said. Finally, he looked at me and asked, "How are you feeling? Anything really sore?"

"My cheek is stinging, my throat hurts when I swallow, and my entire body aches, but otherwise I'm fine." I sighed. "I'm proud of how long it's taken me to start crying though."

Laughing, Kuwabara said, "You're probably in shock. I bet you start crying at some really random moment."

"Can't wait," I muttered sarcastically. "Where do you think the others are?"

"I think Urameshi went to pick up Kurama and Hiei, so they only have to take one car or whatever."

"Ah, I see," I replied, picking up my ice and pressing it to my cheek.

"I bet Yukina will heal that for you."

The idea of Yukina's healing powers made me feel sick to my stomach and I frowned at myself. Why did the thought of Yukina healing me suddenly bother me so much? The ice maiden had healed me before when I had sprained my ankle on a run and it hadn't bothered me at all. But right then, sitting across from Yukina's fiancé, I wanted nothing to do with the girl's abilities.

And then the explanation clicked. I didn't want Yukina touching me because a demon, one of her kind, had almost just killed me. The idea of letting her use her powers on me was unsettling due to my near death experience.

Wow, I was a shallow person. Just because of some complete stranger I stop trusting my friends. That's pathetic.

"Shy? You still with me?"

I looked up at Kuwabara and smiled. "I, um, think I'll just let it heal on its own."

"Really?" Kuwabara asked in confusion. "You sure?"

"Totally. Maybe I'll end up with a neat, little scar."

Kuwabara frowned at me and I resisted the urge to do the same. I should have just let Yukina heal me. Why did I have to be so stupid? Not to mention how much I did not want a scar.

"Shy, I'm so glad you're alright!"

I turned to find Keiko entering the shop, Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei behind her. She rushed to my side and wrapped her arms around me, bending awkwardly because I was sitting.

"Hey, Keiko."

"I was so worried when Yusuke explained what had happened. I knew I shouldn't have left you here tonight."

"Don't be silly. It's not like you could have known what would happen."

She shook her head and gave me a squeeze, before dropping into the seat beside me.

"So you going to explain what happened?" Yusuke asked, turning a chair around and straddling it.

I quickly ran through the events of the attack and then Kuwabara announced his suspicions that the demon had been after Keiko.

"Damn it. I was hoping they would leave us alone," Yusuke groaned.

His forehead creased in worry, Kurama said, "I don't think it is wise for you two to continue to stay here if demons are after you. Their sudden interest may have something to do with the trouble stirring in the Makai. The last thing we need is for Keiko to be easily accessible to anyone meaning her harm."

"What do you suggest we do?" Keiko asked her worry clear in her voice.

I allowed myself a flicker of jealous. How was it that I was attacked and the first thing everyone worried about was Keiko?

What was it I had thought about myself early? Oh, yeah, I'm a shallow person. A really shallow person.

"My suggestion would be to close the restaurant for a time and go somewhere safe. Genkai's temple for example," Kurama answered.

Yusuke sighed, dragging his hands down his face. "I think Kurama is right. It would be best if we lay low until we figure out what exactly is going on. Can you see if anyone knows anything?"

The question was aimed at Hiei and he spoke up for the first time, "Hn, I'll see what I can find out." The guy really needed to work on his people skills. Short monotone sentences were not the way to make friends.

Kuwabara turned to me and said, "I'll drive you home if you want."

"Just because I got beat up doesn't mean I can't drive myself home. My car is here anyway."

"You sure? I don't mind."

I was about to wave off his offer when I was struck by the fact that my apartment was going to be dark and empty, which just happened to be exactly what I didn't need right now. I glanced at the others and, embarrassment coloring my cheeks, asked, "Actually, would you mind staying the night? I don't really want to be alone."

"Sure, no problem." He stood up and I followed suit, leaving my bag of ice on the table.

"See you guys later," I said.

"I'll call you tomorrow," Keiko replied, standing to give me a hug.

I waved over my shoulder at the others and left, heading for my car. I backed out of my spot and pulled onto the road, Kuwabara following in his own car.

* * *

The next morning I stood in front of my mirror, admiring the bruises that had formed on my neck and cheek. I looked like a freak. The cut on my cheek had become a raised, red welt and the bruise spread across my entire cheekbone. As for my neck, I found myself wishing it was midwinter instead of late spring. At least then I would have been able to wear turtlenecks to hide the horrible bruise.

My hair fell in limp, loose strands into my brown eyes and, turning away from the mirror, I finger-combed it back into a messy bun.

I left my room and slipped into the living room where Kuwabara was sprawled across the couch, one arm hanging down so that his fingertips grazed the rug. I snorted at my friend's odd and no doubt uncomfortable position and continued on into the kitchen.

I was finishing a bagel when the phone rang and I answered through a mouthful of food. "Hello."

"Morning, Shy."

Swallowing I said, "Morning, Keiko. Why are you calling so early?" A glance at the clock showed that it was only nine.

"Well, Yusuke and I were talking last night and I think you should come with us to Genkai's."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"I'd feel safer if you were with us. What if the demons realize that you're close to us? What if you're their next target? I would feel horrible if something happened to you because of us."

"Keiko, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but something already happened to me, I got beat up. But I still don't want to go to Genkai's. You're worried, I get that, but I'm going to be fine. There's no need for me to go with you."

"Please, Shy. I'd feel so much better if you came."

"No," I answered shortly.

"You're being stupid. You could die. I mean, for goodness sake, you already almost did. Just do this for me. It'll probably just be for a week or two. The shop will be closed anyway so you won't have anything to do."

"Keiko, I said no. I don't want to go. It's unnecessary. No demons are going to come after me."

"You don't know that. Shy, you don't have any experience with demons. And no, Yusuke does not count. Demons can be violent, unpredictable, cunning, the list goes on. If you're in the city and we're all the way out at Genkai's, we will have no way to protect you."

"I'm not going to argue about this with you. I'm not going to Genkai's. Period, end of discussion." I was being stubborn, maybe a little dumb, but I couldn't help it. I'd officially had more than enough to do with demons and all the crap that went with them. I needed a break, even if it was just a short one, and I wasn't going to get one by going to Genkai's.

"Shyle, why are you being so pig-headed? I'm just trying to look out for you."

"When are you leaving? I want to come over and say goodbye before you go."

"No, I'm not going to let you avoid this."

"I'm not avoiding it. I already told you I'm not coming."

There was silence on the line for a few seconds and I thought that Keiko might have hung up, but then she spoke, a self-satisfied tone to her voice. "It doesn't really matter what you want because you're coming."

"How do you figure that is?" I snapped.

"Because you owe me. I believe I won our bet two to one." She was going to use the magazine bet to make me go to Genkai's? That was crazy.

"Keiko, you know that wasn't the point of the bet. You were supposed to make me do something stupid or annoying, not blackmail me."

"The rules were any time, any place. There was nothing restricting the use of blackmail." I could hear the smug smirk she had on, even though I couldn't see her. "Pack and be at the restaurant in three hours. Kuwabara should come too, but he already has stuff at Genkai's so he won't need to pack. I'll see you when you get here."

"I hate you for this."

"That's what you say now, but you'll thank me later. Bye, Shyle."

"Yeah, whatever." The line clicked dead and I hit the end button on my phone. "Some best friend she is," I muttered.

"What was that conversation about?" I glanced up to see Kuwabara leaning against the doorframe, watching me in amusement.

"Keiko is making me go to Genkai's with you guys."

"Oh, good. I was wondering how we were going to make you go."

"What? You were in on this?"

"No, but I thought that you should come. It may not be safe for you in the city."

I rolled my eyes but didn't answer. I tossed my napkin in the trash, finished the last bite of my bagel, and pushed past Kuwabara out of the kitchen. "I have to pack," I snapped.

He followed me to my room, watching as I pulled my suitcase from my closet and lay it on my bead. I packed systematically, loading in clothes, toiletries, a pair of sandals, and a few other odds and ends. Then I grabbed my duffel bag and filled it with running clothes and sneakers. I stood back and scanned my room, trying to figure out if there was anything else I needed to pack. My eyes landed on the stack of unread books in the corner of my room and I quickly tossed a few into my duffel bag.

"You pack fast," Kuwabara observed.

I glanced at him and said, "It's not hard when I don't want to go. Who cares what I have with me?"

"Come on, Shy. Going to Genkai's won't be that bad. I don't see what the bid deal is."

I shoved a piece of hair back behind my ear and looked away. "Come on, let's go." I couldn't explain the truth to him. I doubted telling him that I didn't want anything to do with demons for the time being would go over well.

* * *

So there's the next chapter. I'm probably going to be updating once a week until summer. When I first started posting I was on vacation and had a lot of free time. Now that I'm back in school my schedule will be a little hectic. I've got AP tests in a week, track everyday, and I'm not home for the next three weekends. I'll due my best to update but I can't guarantee fast updates. Anyway, thanks to everyone that has reviewed. Hope you liked the chapter.


	5. We All Roll Along

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Shy, but making you come is for your own good."

I ignored my best friend and kept my attention on the scenery passing by the train's window. Since meeting at the ramen shop, I'd in no way acknowledged Keiko. Not at the restaurant, not during the car ride, not in the train station, not on the train. Call it my own personal version of revenge. Stupid, childless revenge.

Yusuke's obnoxious laughter pealed through the compartment and I glanced across the aisle to the booth the guys were sitting in. The four had been deep in discussion about the demon attack but apparently they were on new topics.

Catching sight of an old man sitting in the row behind Yusuke and Kuwabara, I scowled. The seemingly endless weird looks I'd received were starting to get old. I stuck my tongue out at the old geezer. I was well aware of how strange I looked, what with my collection of bruises, but that didn't justify people staring at me. Especially old men. Didn't he know staring was rude?

"Shy, please talk to me," Keiko begged.

"Would you just let me goddamn sulk? God, a girl can't be in a pissy mood around here without getting pestered." I allowed myself the faintest of smiles, just to let Keiko know I wasn't serious.

"I really am sorry." Her tone was apologetic, her voice worried. It was as though she had truly thought I was angry with her, that she was damaging our friendship. I understood that she was trying to protect me, but that didn't mean I had to be receptive of the protection.

"I know. I'm just frustrated. I really just need some time to unwind, be by myself. So I can deal with all the almost getting killed crap, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that. But you have to see it from my point of view too. You could have been killed because of me. Do you know how that feels?" She leaned across the gap between our seats, making our booth seem much smaller. "How would I live with myself if I let you stay in the city and you were killed? I just couldn't do it, I just couldn't."

"Don't worry about it, Keiko. You blackmailed me, I'm on the train, and that's all in the past."

She sighed and asked worriedly, "We're okay, right?"

I nodded. "Of course, friendships don't end over one fight." She was stressed. It was incredibly apparent and I had no doubt that she was overreacting to our little tiff because of her anxiety.

Seeking to change our line of conversation, I asked, "Did you talk to your parents? To explain about closing the restaurant and all that."

"Yeah. I had to lie of course, but it couldn't be helped."

Okay, so I hadn't picked a much better topic, this one was just as stressful as the first. Keiko had never told her parents the truth about Yusuke and the Makai, which meant that she couldn't explain why she was leaving the city. It was her biggest secret and it ate at her all the time. She felt like she was lying to her parents, hiding a part of her life, and she was, but like she said it couldn't be helped.

I can't help but feel bad for Keiko at times. Who and what Yusuke is dictates so much of her life. It's changed her relationship with her parents. It adds unimaginable stress to her life: worry for Yusuke and now this threat to her life.

Worse than all that, it prevents her from ever achieving the one thing she grew up wanting. Keiko told me countless times about her wedding. She'd planned everything, right down to the slightest detail, but it would never matter. She and Yusuke were never going to get married.

It was no fault of Yusuke's. Keiko had divulged to me that he had proposed to her. In fact he'd done so on more than one occasion. The first time was before he left for the Makai. The second was roughly a year ago.

Both times Keiko said no.

The first time she claimed she wasn't ready, and maybe that had been the truth at the time, but the second time she was forced to admit the full extent of her reasons for refusal. From what I had gathered from our conversation the next day, the gist of her problems stemmed from the fact that he was a hanyou, a half-demon. Keiko didn't want to tie him to her. She was afraid that as she aged he would no longer love her. She feared that he would realize that he was still young, that he had yet to experience all that life had to offer him, and become unhappy with her.

It was a silly fear. I knew that, Yusuke knew that, even Keiko probably knew it. Keiko was Yusuke's everything, his life. Without her he wouldn't know what to do with himself.

Which was why I felt there was more to Keiko's fear, things that I needed to figure out on my own by piecing together all the tidbits of information I had about their relationship.

With marriage would come mating, and therein lay the problem. I had only a limited amount of knowledge about demon mating, but what I knew was enough. I knew that a mating was permanent, that there could be no 'divorce.' I also knew that a demon's lifespan was tied to that of their mate. It was the issue of a mating's permanence that bothered Keiko. Fed by her fear that Yusuke would become dissatisfied with their relationship, she dreaded what would happen if they mated.

For his part, Yusuke had accepted her reservations and looked past them, pretending that he was content. I had little doubt that he still wanted to get married, to mate with Keiko, but he would never press the issue with her. If she changed her mind he was ready and waiting, and if not then he would continue his pretense of happiness.

Keiko was watching her hands as she clasped and unclasped them in her lap. "I told them we wanted a vacation."

"Who wanted a vacation?"

"Yusuke and I."

I hesitated a second and then said, "Why don't you pick a new topic? I suck today."

She laughed, dismissing my comment with a wave of her hand. She paused thoughtfully, trying to think of something to talk about. Her eyes flicked to the boys and lit up. I watched her warily as she turned back to me, a wicked glint in her eye. Catching me off guard, she hopped into the seat beside me and leaned forward conspiratorially.

"Keiko?" I asked tentatively. "What are you doing?"

"Did you think anymore about what we talked about?"

"What did we talk about?"

Her eyes darted back to the boys and then she leaned closer, lessening the distance between us despite the fact that I leaned backwards. "You know, about dating and –" another glance over her shoulder, "– Hiei."

"No way! We are not talking about this right now."

"You said I could pick the topic," she whined, giving me puppy dog eyes.

"Damn it, Keiko. Fine, but only if you stop invading my personal space."

Grinning, she leaned back and watched me, waiting for me to start talking.

"I guess you may be right. About the whole being scared of relationships thing, I mean."

I scowled as she pumped her fist in the air and grinned victoriously. "What made you realize I'm right?"

"If I knew this would give you a superiority complex I wouldn't have admitted it at all." I glared out the window and waited for an apology.

"Sorry, Shy. But do you realize that that is two victories for me and none for you?" When I didn't answer, she sighed and said, "Sorry, no more gloating."

"Damn straight," I laughed. "Anyway, what was the question?"

"What made you realize I'm right? That was word for word by the way."

"Congrats, you're awesome," I said dryly. "But I guess I just finally admitted the truth to myself."

"I told you that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem."

"Yes you did, and once again congratulations, you're awesome."

"I can't help but get the vibe that you don't really mean it."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "As for a certain other person, I have no intention of dating him. Besides he said himself that he's not 'interested', so it was never an option."

"Shy," Keiko groaned in exasperation.

"What? Are you going to tell me you want me to date him? Don't be crazy, Keiko."

"I just don't think you should rule it out. Dating would be good for Hiei and if you think he's attractive…" She trailed off, letting me fill in the blanks.

"Hey, no names, for all we know they're listening to us." I glanced over her shoulder and gave a sigh of relief when I saw that they were still absorbed in their own conversation. "Don't try to hook us up, Keiko. I'm warning you."

"Come on, Shy. Why not?"

"Because I'm not interested."

Keiko started to speak, but I shook my head and interrupted her, "No way, no how. So deal!"

* * *

"These are the longest stairs ever. Remind me to tell grandma to install an elevator or escalators or whatever."

"You are by far the most pathetic excuse for a man I've ever met."

"You know what, Shy?"

"What, Yusuke?" I replied, feigning seriousness.

"You're cruising for a bruising, that's what."

"Just so you know, someone already beat you to it, Urameshi," Kuwabara interrupted.

"Keep your opinions to yourself," Yusuke snapped. "Didn't your parents ever tell you to only speak when spoken to?"

"Ha-ha, very funny. You have the maturity level of a small child."

"Look whose talking. At least I couldn't eat a small child."

"I blame you for this," Keiko said to me.

"What? What did I do?"

"You antagonized Yusuke and now the two of them are going to bicker for hours."

"You say that like it doesn't happen all the time," I quipped.

"Don't be a smartass," Keiko snapped.

Frowning, Kurama said, "I feel as though everyone is fighting today."

"Hn," Hiei added.

"Hiei is an incredible orator. Seriously, no joke," I murmured to Keiko.

She stifled a laugh with her hand and replied, "If he hears you, he'll kill you."

"His social skills are simply astonishing."

"You're digging your own grave," she said, turning a laugh into a cough.

"Keiko, are you alright?" Kurama asked, concerned.

We both burst into uncontrollable laughter and Keiko finally managed to say, "Yeah, I'm fine."

He eyed us as though he feared for our sanity and then turned his attention to Hiei.

"Jeeze, Keiko, way to almost get me caught."

"Well, don't make me laugh."

"It's not my fault you thought I was kidding. I even said 'no joke'."

My legs were protesting the climb up the stairs and I was glad I'd foisted my suitcase off on Kuwabara, because as it was my duffel bag felt way too heavy. I glanced toward the top of the stairs to see that Yusuke and Kuwabara had started racing, despite the fact that they were both carrying suitcases.

"I'm going to kick your ass, Urameshi," Kuwabara yelled in between pants.

"Like hell, you will!" Yusuke pulled ahead of Kuwabara and was a dozen steps from the top when Genkai made an appearance.

"Damn it, dimwit, will you stop yelling and shut the hell up?"

Yusuke paused mid-step, surprise apparent on his face, and Kuwabara barreled past him, stumbling to a halt at the stop of the stairs.

"Holy shit," I murmured, "Kuwabara won?"

"Apparently," Kurama replied, his voice equally low.

Yusuke was still paused, balanced precariously on a step. "Yusuke, you may want to close your mouth before you catch something."

He ignored me, turning enraged eyes on Genkai. "What the hell, Grandma? You just made me lose!"

The old psychic turned her back on him and walked away, calling over her shoulder, "You're training should have prepared you for surprises. You have no one to blame for your loss but yourself."

I walked past Yusuke, slapping him on the shoulder as I went. "Don't worry; you'll suck less next time."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Pretty much what it sounded like. Your performance was pathetic; hopefully you'll do better next time around."

I reached the top of the stairs and followed Kurama and Hiei toward the shrine. "Make sure Kuwabara comes out of his stupor. I think it's supposed to rain tonight. The last thing we would want is for the winner to become sick."

My words seemed to wake Kuwabara up and he shook his head, seemingly too surprised by his win to understand what was going on. "Did I beat Urameshi?"

"It was a fluke," Yusuke snapped.

"Whatever lets you sleep at night."

"You know what, Shyle?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Am I cruising for another bruising?"

"Yeah, I'm going to kick your ass."

"You and what army?"

He glared at me, threw up his hands, and stomped off down the path.

"Wait, so I really won?" At my nod Kuwabara whooped and bolted after Yusuke. "Take that, Urameshi. So much for your speed."

Yusuke ignored him, continuing to tramp his way towards the shrine.

"He isn't a graceful loser, is he?" I asked Keiko.

"Not so much."

* * *

I yawned as I shove my empty suitcase into the closet of the room I'd be staying in. We'd spent the whole day talking to Genkai. Or, I should say, most of us had been talking; Yusuke had been bickering. By the time I'd been able to come unpack it was ten o'clock and, after my adventures on the previous night, I just wanted to get to bed.

I changed quickly and headed for the bathroom that our group was sharing. I had a feeling there were going to serious conflicts over the bathroom and as soon as I stepped into the hallway I saw I was right.

The door was closed and Yusuke was sprawled on the floor in front of it. "What are you doing?" I asked. He and Hiei, who was leaning against the wall, glanced at me.

"Keiko has been in there forever and I'm making sure that I'm the next one in."

Sighing, I slid down against the wall and leaned my head back. "Why do you need the bathroom next? Do you even own a toothbrush?"

He flung a leg out in a halfhearted kick and I watched, unfazed, as he missed horribly. "I do own a toothbrush, thank you very much."

"Good to know."

"Don't act like you're not interested, especially after just asking me if I had one."

"Have you ever heard of a rhetorical question?" I asked.

He huffed and rolled over so that he was facing the wall, his back to me. "Hurry up, Keiko," he yelled. "I'm sick of your friend already."

I rolled my eyes at his childish antics and glanced at Hiei, who had closed his eyes and was appeared as though he was not even listening. "So, I'm assuming you want the bathroom before me."

He opened one eye and glanced at me. For a fleeting second I allowed myself to admire just how attractive he was, but stopped as soon as I thought of what Keiko would say. "I was here first. There is no reason for me to allow you to use the bathroom first."

Nope, just chivalry, but hey, who really cares about that anymore. I didn't voice a response, instead looking at the bathroom door as it swung open, connecting solidly with Yusuke's gut. "Holy shit, what the hell?"

I snorted, "That's what you get for being an ass, Yusuke."

"You know what, Iraheta?"

"I feel like you're using that question a lot today," I observed, keeping my voice as nonchalant as possible.

"Yusuke, why were you lying in front of the door?" Keiko asked. She looked exasperated, as though she was dealing with a small child.

"If I wasn't Shyle probably would have tried to cut me."

"Cut you? Are we in first grade?"

"I don't trust you."

"So that's a yes, right?" I asked. Shooting me a glare, he scrambled to his feet and dove past Keiko, slamming the door behind him. "How do you live with him?"

"Patience, lots and lots of patience," Keiko replied. She glanced at Hiei, who had once again closed his eyes, and then back at me. Quirking an eyebrow suggestively, she said, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

I stuck my tongue out at her as she turned and headed for the room she shared with Yusuke. "I do not understand that immature gesture."

My eyes snapped to Hiei. He was watching me, disdain clear in his eyes. "Oh, um, it's kind of stupid."

"Yes, I can see that."

I blushed and glanced at the bathroom door, pleading silently for Yusuke to be quick. "It's just a rude, immature way for people to show their contempt or irritation for a person or action."

He snorted and closed his eyes once more. "Humans have weird habits."

"I'm not going to lie; I think demons do weird things too. I think it's all about how you grow up, if you're used to something or not."

He didn't respond and a second later Yusuke emerged from the bathroom. "There I went fast and everything."

"Could have been faster."

"Do you go out of your way to annoy me?" he snapped.

"Nah, it just comes naturally," I grinned at him cheekily.

"Take a really long time, Hiei." With that he turned and walked the same way Keiko had, disappearing into their room.

Without glancing at me, Hiei entered the bathroom, leaving me alone in the hallway. My thoughts immediately went to the conversation Keiko and I had had on the train. If Hiei wanted to date me, would I be willing to date him?

I wasn't so sure. He was attractive but so far he seemed to have a lot of flaws. If Keiko was right and he like humans more than he used to, then I'm glad I never met him in the beginning. Not to mention his rather pathetic social skills. I'm sure he could be pleasant if he wanted to, but he clearly doesn't want to.

So unless I saw something else in him that I liked, he was just going to be some very nice eye candy, something to look at other than Kurama's pretty boy self.

Hiei emerged from the bathroom and walked past me without acknowledging my presence. Knowing I was being obnoxious, I called after him, "Night, Hiei."

"Hn, night."

His social skills are simply amazing.

* * *

AN: So, there's the newest chapter. I really wanted to post last Friday but I simply didn't end up having time. That is over though. My AP tests are both done (this is like my celebratory my-life-not-longer-sucks chapter) and I will have a crap load more free time. Trust me when I say I plan on writing a lot more. Plus track is over in a week or two and then I will have more time than I know what to do with.

I hope you like the new chapter and if you have any criticism or questions I'd love to hear from you. I love hearing people's questions because it lets me know if I'm not being clear. Sometimes I know what I mean or why something happened but other people don't, so if you tell me it's confusing I'll know to go back and change it or address the issue later.

Also, does anyone want me to say who the chapter title is sung by or for me to explain why I chose the title? If you do just tell me and I'll start doing that.

And now I'm finally done wasting your time.


	6. Risky Business

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

I crept out of my room the next morning, trying to be as quiet as possible in an attempt to not wake up my friends. I left my door open so they would know I was up and headed for the kitchen. On my way, I quickly finger-combed my thick hair back into a high ponytail and slipped on my running watch.

I paused in the kitchen doorway, surprised to see Genkai up so early. "Morning," I murmured.

She glanced up at me from her seat at the kitchen table and then returned her attention to her tea. "Why are you up at the crack of dawn?"

I laughed and replied, "It's not that early."

She shook her head in dissent, but made no move to comment so I continued, "Anyway, I'm up because I wanted to get in a run before the others were awake."

"A run? In these woods? You're insane, girl."

"How so?" I asked, grabbing a bag of bagels off the counter. I fished out a bagel and set to work cutting it in half.

"These woods are filled with demons and apparitions. While they pose no threat to the boys, they will certainly cause you a few problems," she replied, as I popped my bagel in the toaster.

Turning to her, I leaned back against the counter and asked, "What do you suppose I do then?"

"Hiei is up. You could ask him to keep an eye on you, make sure no demons are targeting you as their breakfast," she said, appearing uninterested in the conversation.

The toaster dinged and turned to I retrieve my bagel. After grabbing cream cheese from the fridge, I dropped into the seat across from Genkai and began to prepare my bagel. "Hiei doesn't strike me as the guardian angel type."

"No, he isn't, but I have little doubt that he would be willing to keep an eye out for you. He may do it grudgingly, but he'll do it."

I couldn't help but be more skeptic than Genkai. I doubted that Hiei would jump at the opportunity to protect me. And really, I wasn't so sure I wanted him too. For all I know he'll see it as an invitation to snoop around in my head, which just so happens to be the last thing I want. Using a big bite of my bagel as a reason not to respond to Genkai, I flirted with the idea of outright asking Hiei not to read my mind. It wasn't a half bad idea, considering I had nothing to lose: he'd either keep reading my mind or abide by my request.

"If you insist on running I can tell you a route."

I glanced at the old woman to find her watching me over the rim of her mug of tea. "Oh, uh, sure. I was just going to make it up as I went along but it you have one in mind…"

I listened as she outlined a route and then stood to throw out the napkin I had used as a plate for my bagel. Returning the cream cheese to the fridge, I was surprised when Genkai asked, "Have the boys told you why they think the demon didn't kill you?"

"What?" I asked, startled by her abrupt question. "Do they know why?"

"I don't know," she replied, sipping her tea. "I asked you in hopes of finding out."

Hesitantly, I asked, "Do you have a theory?"

"Of course I do."

Trying to hide my growing annoyance, I inquired, "Would you like to explain?" When she glanced at me sharply, I realized I hadn't masked my frustration as well as I would have like. "Sorry, I just want to know."

She paused, nursing her mug of tea silently, and finally said, "My assumption would be that your attacker was surprised you weren't Keiko and panicked. No doubt his orders were to kill Keiko and get out. When he realized you weren't his target, he probably could not decide on a new course of action and so, rather than potentially disobeying orders, opted to leave you alive."

"So you think I'm alive because he panicked?" I frowned. Her theory didn't really make sense to me. The demon, who ever he was, had seemed in control of himself, confident and not in the least way nervous. To me it seemed more like he didn't feel like wasting his time killing me, as though he felt that I wasn't his intended victim so why bother. He was probably aware that Yusuke would find out about him whether I was alive or dead. He had successfully made his presence know, making my life irrelevant.

"You sound as though you disagree," Genkai observed.

I nodded and quickly explained my point of view. The old psychic remained quiet, seeming to be mulling over my opinion. After a time, she stood and said, "That is why I believe we should talk to the boys. They might be able to shed light on the demon's motives. I assume you still plan on going for a run?" At my nod, she continued, "If I see Hiei, I'll alert him to your activities and have him keep an eye out."

I sighed but didn't argue. I left the kitchen and slipped on my sneakers, which I had left by the front door.

I was looking forward to this run. I needed some time to unwind and I couldn't think of a better way than to go for a nice long jog. The exercise would relax my body and the alone time would allow me to think without interruptions.

Grinning, I slipped out the front door. I leapt over the front steps and immediately set off jogging toward the path that Genkai had described to me.

* * *

Emerging from the woods just under an hour later, I was hot, sweaty, and out of breath. Panting, I reached up and used the extra hair elastic I had on my wrist to put my hair in a messy bun.

Standing at the edge of the clearing around the shrine, I felt a surge of annoyance for the shrine's owner. Genkai should have told me that the loop she was sending me on would take so long. I had expected her to set me up with a three mile loop that would have taken under thirty minutes, instead she sent me on loop that must have been at least seven miles. It wasn't that the loop had been too hard, so much as that I wasn't prepared for such a long run.

"Stupid old woman," I muttered, grabbing the edge of my shirt and using it to wipe sweat off my forehead. When I dropped my shirt, I found that Hiei was leaning against a tree a few feet away, watching me. I felt a blush color my cheeks and immediately averted my gaze.

"That run took you long enough," he stated dryly, pushing away from the tree and walking towards me. He was watching me intently and I was very aware of the fact that I had practically just flashed him. I knew I really shouldn't have been so embarrassed; it wasn't like I was naked. I was wearing a sports bra after all and both Yusuke and Kuwabara had seen me in one at some point or another. So, why was it that Hiei seeing me was so embarrassing?

My blush darkened further when Hiei asked, "Are you even listening to me?" His voice had a strange quality to it, as though he found something amusing. I had little doubt that my embarrassment was what was entertaining him.

"Yeah, I am. As for why that loop took me so long, well, I'm sorry I'm not a demon and therefore can't run seven miles in five seconds," I snapped.

"Hn."

I resisted the urge to say something nasty, opting instead to ask, "Why were you waiting for me anyway?"

"The 'stupid old women,'" he replied mockingly, "asked me to make sure you would be alright."

And just like that I was reminded of my earlier decision to ask Hiei to stop snooping around in my head. "Look," I said, changing the subject entirely, "Keiko told me about your ability to read minds and I was wondering if you would mind not poking around in my head."

He snorted. "What makes you think I'm interested in reading your mind?"

Suddenly I wasn't so sure Keiko had been right. Maybe he hadn't known what I was thinking that night in her apartment, maybe I had interpreted what he had said incorrectly. If that was the case I certainly wasn't going to admit what I had been thinking now. Telling him that I thought he was really attractive wasn't exactly something I would be comfortable doing.

"I'm not saying that I think you are; I'm just asking that you don't in the future. I like my privacy and in my opinion a person's head should be their sanctuary."

"Sure, if it'll make you happy, I won't read your mind," he said. I could easily sense that he was mocking me and I couldn't help but worry that he wasn't being serious.

"You promise?" I asked.

His eyes narrowed slightly and he growled, "Are you doubting my word?"

He wanted me to back down and cave, but instead I smiled and replied, "Yeah, I am. Why? Does that bother you?"

He closed the distance between us until he was standing just inches from me and snarled, "Watch yourself, woman. I have no qualms about making your time here hell and if you piss me off, that is exactly what I'll do."

"Have you ever heard of personal space?" I was aware that I was walking a thin line and could easily tick him off, but I quite frankly didn't care. Why should I be embarrassed or nervous around him? It was Keiko's fault, what with her insistence on me dating him. She'd made me uneasy and I'd been acting timid. But enough was enough and I wasn't going to do that anymore. If being me pissed him off, then so be it.

"Hn," he muttered, turning away from me and starting back toward the shrine.

I raised a surprised eyebrow. Had he just backed off?

I was pulled out of my shock when he called over his shoulder, "Will you be going running every day?"

I nodded, realized he couldn't see me, and answered, "Probably, unless it's raining in which case I won't."

He didn't say anything in response and disappeared into the shrine a few seconds later. That was a weird thing to ask me. Did he have some kind of sinister plans for me now? Was he going to hire some of the demons Genkai was worried about to kill me?

I shook my head and headed for the shrine. My destination: a nice long shower. I grabbed what I needed out of my room and slipped across the hall to the bathroom. I took my time in the shower and the next thing I knew Yusuke was knocking on the door, demanding that I hurry up because he really needed to go to the bathroom. When I emerged a good ten minutes later, he was standing outside the door, arms crossed over his chest, his foot tapping on the floor.

"Did you take long enough?"

"There are other bathrooms in this place, you know?"

"Yeah, but this one is closest."

"You are the epitome of lazy."

"The what?" he asked.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Oh, right, I forgot I had to dumb things down for you. Epitome pretty much means that you're the poster child for laziness."

"I'd argue with you but you're right, so whatever," he grinned at me, clearly not offended. "Now if you would get out of my way, I really do have to piss."

"No need to be so vulgar," I said, but the door had already closed in my face.

"He has wonderful manners, doesn't he?" I glanced up to see Kurama leaving his room. He was dressed and appeared to be ready for the day, which meant he'd probably gotten into the bathroom before I had come back from my run.

"Yup, he's just incredibly polite. How he puts up with the rest of us brutes I simply don't understand," I replied sagely.

He chuckled, catching on to my sarcasm, and said, "I talked with Hiei a little while ago. He says that he finds you rather full of yourself."

"Really? I could say the same about him."

"Yes, he said that you seem overconfident, especially considering that you have no way to defend yourself."

"He was trying to push me around and I stood up to him," I replied, running my fingers through my wet hair. Yusuke had kicked me out of the bathroom before I had a chance to dry it and now it hung in a thick, tangled mess down my back.

"Good, he needs someone to stand up to him, to keep him in his place."

"You noticed that too?" I asked sarcastically.

Smiling, he replied, "You do a good job keeping Yusuke in line, I'm sure you could do the same with Hiei. Hiei also said you asked him not to read your mind. That was brave of you. I think you may have even impressed him."

"Really? Are you sure? He didn't seem all that impressed to me. Actually he seemed kind of annoyed."

"Yes, well, understanding Hiei's moods takes time, but, from what I could discern from our conversation earlier, you had him at the very least caught off guard. That's quite the accomplishment I assure you," he explained.

"Wow, I feel special."

Kurama laughed and started down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen. "I'm off to have breakfast. I'll see you in a little while?"

"Yep, I just have to dry my hair."

"Alright." He disappeared into the living room and I turned my attention to the bathroom door.

Knocking on it obnoxiously, I called, "I thought you were going to the bathroom. Why the hell is it taking so long?"

I was still knocking on the door when it swung open to reveal an annoyed Yusuke. "You were in here for ages; I'm entitled to the same amount of time."

"Bullshit! Let me in." I shoved past him and grabbed my hairdryer off the counter. "There, this was all I needed. Now you can live in here for all I care."

As soon as I was out the door he slammed it shut, causing me to laugh. Kurama was so right about his manners.

* * *

"Damn it, Urameshi. You cheated, I swear you did," Kuwabara yelled, tossing his controller to the floor. He and Yusuke were playing video games while the rest of us watched and Kuwabara had yet to win a game.

"I did not cheat. Why the hell would I need to cheat, anyway?" Yusuke retorted, his outrage clear in his voice. "I could kick your ass with my eyes closed."

"Oh, yeah? Well, then let's do it."

Yusuke blanched and said, "You can't be serious. It's a figure of speech."

"No way, Urameshi. You're not getting out of this. You said you could win without looking and now you have to prove it." Kuwabara paused for a second and added casually, "Or you could admit that you were bluffing."

Yusuke frowned and I could tell that he was actually considering his options, but he finally muttered, "I was bluffing."

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"I was bluffing," Yusuke snapped, dropping his controller and moving to shut off the game console. He shot Kuwabara a glare and then turned his eyes to me.

"Why are you looking at me?" I asked, shrinking back into my seat.

Kurama answered instead of Yusuke and I turned my attention to him. "Actually, we were wondering if you would be able to identify your assailant."

"You mean like in a picture?"

"Yeah," Yusuke answered. "I had Koenma get pictures of all the upper level demons who have been reported as seen in the Ningenkai, so that you would be able to identify you attacker."

"I could try," I replied, shrugging.

"I'll just go get the file," Kurama said. He stood and disappeared down the hallway that led to all our bedrooms. A minute or so later he returned with a manila folder in his hands. He placed it on the coffee table in front of me and opened it, laying the pictures it contained out in two neat rows. "These are all the A and B class demons seen in the human world within the last two months. Do any of them look like your attacker?"

I leaned forward, studying the pictures. Immediately my eyes were drawn to one of the pictures. The man pictured had golden irises just like the demon who had attacked me. I picked up the photo and examined it closer. "This is him," I said after just a few seconds.

"Are you sure?" Kuwabara asked.

I nodded, "Positive."

"May I see?" I handed the picture to Kurama. He studied it for a few seconds before flipping it over and saying, "According to the information on the back of the picture, his name is Mecca and he is a raion."

"A what?" Keiko and I asked in unison.

"A raion," Hiei said, "is a lion demon."

A momentary silence fell over the group, but it was broken when Kuwabara spoke up, "So, now what?"

"I feel that we need to find out more about Mecca before we decide anything," Kurama said. When the rest of the group responded with noises of assent, he continued, "Yusuke, Hiei, and I will see what we can dig up about him. In the meantime, does anyone have any questions?"

Genkai immediately asked, "Do any of you have any theories on why this Mecca character left Shyle alive?"

Yusuke frowned, "I hadn't really thought about it."

"Well done, dimwit," she said, scorn dripping from each word. "It is important to know your opponent's motives. I would have thought you were already aware of that, but apparently not."

"Must you turn everything into a life lesson?" he snapped.

Genkai ignored him and turned her attention to the other guys. Kurama smiled ruefully, "I, like Yusuke, had not given any thought to the matter." Yusuke gave a triumphant 'so there, grandma' in the background, but Kurama continued unfazed, "I do however see your point about its importance. I would have to assume that he left Shy relatively unhurt because she was not Keiko and was therefore not his responsibility."

"Hn, I agree with Kurama. It seems unlikely that he would have been frightened of the woman and consequently would have no reason to panic." Why was I not surprised that Hiei's opinion was based upon the fact that I was weak and unthreatening? On the upside, both Kurama and Hiei had the same theory as me, which meant I was way more awesome then Genkai.

Genkai nodded, seemingly satisfied, and Yusuke clapped his hands together, "Alright, that's enough serious talk for tonight. Who's up for watching me kick Kuwabara's ass again at videogames?"

"Shut up, Urameshi!"

* * *

AN: I don't really have anything to say today so I'll leave it at: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love hearing what you have to say!


	7. Can't Take It

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Do you know of any runs I could go on that aren't seven miles?"

Without looking at me, Genkai said, "Why? Was yesterday's loop too long?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I answered honestly. "Normally I just run three miles a day, not seven trillion."

"I can safely say that the route I gave you was not seven trillion miles. In fact I believe it was just over seven."

Deciding not to explain that I had been exaggerating, I asked, "So, do you know of a shorter loop?"

Genkai finally glanced at me and I saw a flicker of a smile on her lips. Ah, so she'd been trying to annoy me this whole time. Not going to work, old woman. Before I could say anything, she said, "Of course I know of other routes." She immediately launched into giving directions and I listened carefully, wanting to make sure I didn't get myself lost.

"Not eating this morning?" the old psychic asked as I headed for the door.

I paused in the doorway and, looking back over my shoulder, replied, "I'm going to eat when I get back."

Genkai nodded and returned her gaze to her tea. Was there something special in her mug or something? It must be awful interesting, seeing as she spends so much time looking at it.

I tugged on my sneakers and slipped outside. Without even thinking, I scanned for Hiei. After his question about my running schedule I couldn't help but think he was planning something. What that plan was I had no idea. Maybe he was going to avoid being around when I was running so that he wouldn't have to talk to me, or maybe he was going to have me assassinated like I'd originally thought.

Not spotting the fire demon, I set my watch and began jogging for the path Genkai had described. Over all my run was far more pleasant than the day before. It was ideal running weather and the route Genkai had sent me on was relatively flat. If it hadn't been for my worry about Hiei's potentially evil intentions it would have been a perfect run.

I arrived back at the shrine in less than half the time it had taken me the day before. I stopped jogging at the edge of the trees and paused to stop my watch, using the time to catch my breath.

"You ran a shorter loop today."

I froze, muffling a shriek of surprise. Then, moving slowly, I tilted my head backward and looked up at the tree branch above me. Hiei was seated calmly on the limb, one leg bent at the knee, the other dangling freely. He was watching me with bored crimson eyes.

"You scared the crap out of me, Hiei," I snapped. I was never in a particularly sociable mood after a run, especially so early in the morning, and the fire demon's sudden appearance hadn't helped his case.

"Hn," was all he replied. Faster than I could see he jumped from his perch. He landed silently in front of me, the impact of his boots causing small puffs of dirt to rise out of the grass. "Why did you run a shorter distance?"

I resisted the urge to ask why it mattered, opting to instead answer truthfully, "Usually I only run three miles. Running seven yesterday sucked."

He watched me, unmoving, and, deciding he wasn't going to say anything, I asked, "Do you need something?"

Still nothing. He was simply standing in front of me, studying me intensely. So intensely that I was starting to get freaked out. Finally he said, "I've decided that I will refrain from reading your mind."

I'd been under the impression that we'd settled that issue the day before, but apparently I'd been wrong. "Good to hear?" I hadn't meant for it to come out like a question and yet it had. So much for the boldness I'd discovered yesterday; it seemed I was back to being nervous.

Yet again he didn't respond. I couldn't understand why he had bothered to approach me, why he was here again this morning. Had he come simply to tell me he wasn't going to intrude on my thoughts? While I may not know him particularly well, that just didn't seem like something he would do. I was hesitant about asking him what his intentions were, asking might scare him off and then I'd never know.

I felt like we stood there for ages, neither of us talking, each just watching the other. When it seemed like he had no intent of saying or doing anything, I said, "Well, I'm going to go inside. I have to eat breakfast and I'm in desperate need of a shower, so…" I trailed off, letting him fill in the blanks, and stepped around him. I was only vaguely surprised when he fell in step beside me on my way to the shrine.

Pushing the door open and letting Hiei through first, I made up my mind to ask the others about his weird behavior. Maybe it wasn't as strange as it seemed. After all, I didn't really know him at all, which meant that he may not be acting out of the ordinary.

I snorted at my own naivety. Hiei was acting weird, there was no doubt about it, and quite frankly trying to convince myself otherwise was rather idiotic.

Regardless, I still planned to talk to Keiko. At the very least I could see if she had any idea as to why Hiei was being strange.

* * *

Yusuke's attacks were fluid, graceful, lithe, and all together completely unlike the way he normally moved. The hanyou had forced Kuwabara into a purely defensive fight. The two friends were using Genkai's backyard to train, though as of yet it seemed to me that only Yusuke was actually getting a decent workout.

Leaning against the porch railing, I watched as Yusuke hit Kuwabara with a barrage of punches so fast that his fists blurred before my eyes. Despite how large a part of their life training was, I had never seen either Yusuke or Kuwabara in action. In part it was the guys' fault because, while I'd never asked to watch them train, they had always gone out of their way to make sure I wasn't around when they did practice. Exactly why they did not want me to watch I was unsure. For all I knew they thought watching them would entangle me even deeper in the dangers of the Makai. Regardless, it no longer mattered seeing as they would be unable to prevent me from watching during the time I stayed at Genkai's.

I realized now that watching them fight may not be a good idea, although it wasn't for reasons the guys would understand. Watching thier training was a painful reminder of Mecca's attack on me in the restaurant and I felt distinctly nauseous. Still, I stayed where I was, ignoring my nerves. I couldn't live my life afraid of fighting, it would make my friendship with Yusuke and Kuwabara impossible.

I watched as Kuwabara jumped back, clearing the range of Yusuke's punches, and summoned what I could only assume was his spirit sword. The glowing orange weapon in hand, Kuwabara finally began to attack Yusuke, who found himself hard-pressed to keep the sword at bay.

As they fought, I glanced to the edge of their makeshift fighting arena where Hiei and Kurama stood watching. The two demons appeared to be waiting for their turn to fight and were conversing quietly, apparently discussing the match between Yusuke and Kuwabara.

I couldn't help but frown as I watched Hiei. I'd yet to have a chance to talk to Keiko and his odd behavior was eating at me. When I had emerged from the shrine to watch the training, all of the guys excluding Hiei had greeted me, which had only added to my frustration. Why would he approach me in the morning only to ignore me later?

"Damn it."

My eyes darted back to Yusuke and Kuwabara. Kuwabara's spirit sword was gone and he was cradling his wrist against his chest, aiming an irritated glare as his opponent.

Yusuke grinned. "Don't get grumpy just because I beat you. It's not my fault your defense was weak."

"You kicked me in the wrist. How the hell was that necessary?"

"How wasn't it?"

Kurama's calm voice prevented any further argument. "I believe we agreed on a group fight following your individual match. Correct?"

"Hell yeah we did." Turning a confident smirk on Kuwabara, Yusuke added, "As winner of our match I get to choose my teammate."

"Whatever, Urameshi. Just choose."

"I pick Hiei."

Kuwabara sighed. "Fine, then I'm with Kurama."

Glancing toward me, Kurama asked, "Would you mind giving us the signal to begin?"

"Sure. Um, what do I say?"

"A simple 'one, two, three, begin' should be sufficient."

I hesitated a fraction of a second before giving the commands. As soon as I had finished speaking the guys blurred into action and I realized that this fight, unlike the last one, would be fought at a speed completely impossible for me to see.

Deciding not to watch the blurs that were the guys, I turned and slipped back into the house. It was almost noon and I figured that I could help Keiko and Yukina prepare lunch.

As I entered the kitchen I stopped in the doorway, surprised to see someone I didn't recognize seated at the table. Her eyes moved to me immediately and it took only a second for me to place who she was. While I had never seen a picture, I had heard enough about Botan to know that the woman before me was Keiko's grim reaper friend.

She stood up and bounded toward me, sticking out a hand. Her pink eyes twinkling, she said, "Hi, I'm Botan. You must be Shyle. It's wonderful to finally meet you."

I blinked at her, unable to muster any other response. Shaking myself out of my surprised stupor, I extended my own hand and said, "Nice to meet you, too." I glanced past her to Keiko, who stood with a hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle at my reaction. She had warned me that Botan was a bubbly, excitable person but I hadn't been prepared for the full extent of the ferry girl's personality.

As Botan released my hand and returned to her seat, Keiko said, "Botan just got here and was about to explain the reason's for her surprise visit." I nodded, glad that Keiko had filled me in.

Clapping her hands together eagerly, Botan said, "Oh, right. Well, Koenma gave me the day off and I figured what better way to spend the afternoon than with a bunch of friends."

Yukina laughed softly and said, "It's nice of you to want to spend your time with us."

"Of course, I want to spend time here. It's so much better than staying at Koenma's."

As Botan launched into an explanation of the horrors of her workplace, I moved to Yukina's side and asked quietly if there was anything I could do to help.

The small apparition gave me instructions to set the table and returned her attention to her own work. It took me only a few minutes to have the table out in the dining room set and soon I was seated across from Botan in the kitchen, listening as she carried on a conversation almost single-handedly.

Eventually Keiko joined us at the table and steered the conversation in a new direction. Catching me off guard, she asked, "Do you still have that romance article from a few months ago."

"The one we made a bet on?" At Keiko's nod, I said, "Yeah, it's in my room. Why?"

"Before we only got the guys opinion. I was thinking that we could see what Botan and Yukina think."

I hesitated, before grudgingly saying, "Only if there are no bets involved."

Keiko laughed. "Sure, whatever makes you happy."

I stood up and headed for my room while Keiko quickly explained what we were talking about to Botan and Yukina. I found the magazine easily and returned to the kitchen, flipping to the article as I walked. Dropping into my seat, I slid the magazine across the table to Botan, who picked it up and read the article out loud so that Yukina could hear it.

When she was done reading, Botan asked, "So what are we supposed to be deciding?"

"Do you think girls should need an article like that to help them?" Keiko asked.

Botan frowned, scanning the article, clearly debating how she should answer. Yukina was also silent and I couldn't help but wonder how the apparition would decide. In all likelihood she would side with Keiko, especially considering how long it had taken her to understand her relationship with Kuwabara.

Botan spoke up first, "Um, I guess I think that, while guys do a lot of the things this article lists, an article like this shouldn't be necessary. The guy isn't doing his job if the girl needs help figuring him out."

I raised an eyebrow. Did Botan share a brain with Kuwabara? Not only did she share his opinion, she'd also voiced it in almost exactly the same way.

"Who did I agree with?" she asked eagerly.

Keiko shook her head. "Let Yukina answer first, then we'll disclose our opinions." I nodded in agreement and looked at the ice apparition.

When Yukina finally spoke she did so hesitantly, her indecision clear in her voice. "I have little knowledge of human dating, but I know that if I had had similar advice when Kazuma was attempting to court me it would have been very helpful."

"So you think that articles like this one may be necessary?" I asked.

Yukina nodded, murmuring a quiet yes.

Botan leaned forward in her chair. "What were your opinions?"

"I agree with you and Keiko agrees with Yukina."

A momentary silence fell over the kitchen and I decided that now was as good a time as ever to ask about Hiei's strange behavior.

I quickly outlined what had happened after both my runs and asked if I was wrong in thinking that Hiei was acting odd.

Keiko frowned at me and said, "No, I agree, that does seem strange. He approached you?"

"Yep. He commented on the length of my run, said he wouldn't read my mind, and proceeded to stand there staring at me."

"That doesn't sound like Hiei," Keiko observed.

Her eyes twinkling with excitement, Botan added in a singsong voice, "Maybe he likes you."

I snorted and replied, "Yeah right. The first night he met me he told me that he 'has no interest in me.'"

"He said that? That's so rude."

"And so much more like him," Keiko said. "Maybe you caught him off guard by asking him not to read your mind."

"Actually, last night Kurama said that he thinks I impressed Hiei by doing that."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but I don't get what's so impressive about standing up for myself."

"Well, I'd say it's exactly that," Keiko said. "You stood up for yourself. Hiei isn't used to that, particularly when it's a human girl. You probably shocked him."

Rather than arguing and pointing out that Hiei had seemed more annoyed than shocked, I simply shrugged and said, "I guess."

"I'll ask Yusuke if he knows anything. In the meantime, tell us if Hiei does anything else strange."

"Sure thing," I answered. Further conversation was cut off by the arrival of the guys, who entered the room sweaty, loud, and demanding food.

* * *

Hiei was waiting for me the next morning. He stood leaning against a tree, his eyes closed. I stopped a few feet from him, a frown on my face. Halting my watch, I glanced toward the shrine and considered walking past him without giving any form of acknowledgement, but decided not to when he opened an eye and looked directly at me.

"Morning," I murmured, still slightly out of breath.

"Hn."

My eyes narrowed and I snapped, "Don't you know how to greet someone without being rude? You'd think that I was the one stalking you!"

His eyes widened fractionally. "Stalking you?" he asked with disbelief clear in his voice.

"What else would you call this?" I gestured around wildly. "You're here each morning but you don't actually try to start a conversation or do anything for that matter. You just stand there. Well, thanks but I'm good, I don't need the company!"

He stared at me wordlessly and when it seemed that he wasn't going to respond I moved past him toward the shrine.

"Pardon me for doing as Genkai asked."

I paused and turned around slowly. "What are you talking about?"

"The old woman asked me to make sure you did not get into trouble. Don't you remember?" he asked. He watched me through narrowed, angry eyes and his voice had a dangerous, threatening quality to it. I took a deep breath, realizing just how fine a line I was walking.

Just like that my anger disappeared. Tiredly, I ran a hand across my sweaty forehead. "Sorry, I forgot she asked you to do that. But look, I don't need you to look after me. I'm a big girl, I'll be okay."

He laughed once, humorously, and said, "You must be kidding. If anything in these woods decided they wanted you for breakfast, you would be dead."

Way to be blunt. "Alright, so you think you have to look after me? Go right ahead, but I don't see why you have to be out here. I'm sure you could protect me just fine from inside the shrine."

"I'll do as I please," he replied. "If that means I watch you from here then so be it. You have no choice in the matter."

I glared at him for a second longer, before turning and storming toward the shrine. Stupid, arrogant, fire demon asshole.

* * *

AN: First of all, I'm sorry for the late update. I went away for the weekend and had limited computer access. That being said I also got caught up reading two incredible stories. The first was a professionally written book, The City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. It is part of the Mortal Instrumetns series and is utterly incredible. The second story, Fallen by Confusedknight, is on this site; it is in the Tamora Pierce category and focuses on Kel. If you have even the slightest interest in Tamora you should definetly read it because I can say with complete honesty that it is quite simply the best story I've ever read on this site.

So yeah, I haven't had a whole lot of writing time. But even if I'd had time to write I can't say this chapter would have come any faster. The lack of reviews my last chapter received kind of kept me down and I couldn't really find the inspiration to write. To those of you that reviewed: thanks; to the rest of you: please review, it'll result in fast (and probably better) chapters. Reviews really do provide motivation for me to write. I don't care if it's simply a "I liked this chapter. Update soon." or a "Wow, you suck at writing." Even a flame would give me a reason to write, at least then I'd be able to prove someone wrong. Anyway, my point is: please review!

And that's enough of my ramblings for now. Toodles!


	8. Let It Roll

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Yukina and I are going to head into the city, if that's alright with you. There is some shopping we want to do and Genkai asked if we could pick groceries."

I glanced up from my bowl of cereal to find Keiko watching me from the kitchen doorway. "Why wouldn't that be okay with me?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. You'll be stuck here all day with only Kuwabara for company and, well, I'm not sure how much fun that will be." Smilingly wickedly, she added, "I mean, who knows, some of his stupidity may rub off on you."

"Hey, I suggest you watch who you're making fun of," Kuwabara snapped. He'd been riffling around in the cabinets looking for something to eat when Keiko mocked him, but he'd stopped immediately and turned accusing eyes on her.

"Yeah, be careful what you say, Keiko. You might make him cry," Yusuke sniggered, appearing in the doorway behind his girlfriend.

"I hope you realize that I was kidding," Keiko said, concern about hurting Kuwabara's feelings clear in her voice. I couldn't help but laugh at her worry, after all the big lug could take more than a few playful insults.

"Yeah, yeah," Kuwabara said, waving off Keiko's distress without a second thought. "The sooner all of you get out of here, the better. Shy and I are going to spend the day having some much needed bonding time."

"Don't bond too much, Yukina might get jealous."

"Damn it, Yusuke," I said, feigning anguish. "You've officially uncovered my plans to steal Kuwabara from Yukina.

Yusuke moved his way into the room and, slinging his arm around Kuwabara's shoulders, said in a conspiratorial whisper, "See what I mean? Women are dangerous. They do everything in their power to trick unsuspecting idiots like you."

Yusuke was in the middle of nodding his head sagely when Kuwabara shoved him away. "You're calling me an idiot? Take a look in a mirror, Urameshi."

I rolled my eyes at their antics and looked at Keiko, who had taken a seat beside me. I raised an eyebrow in question and asked, "Yes? Do you need something?"

Smiling faintly, she asked, "Did Yusuke tell you that he thinks we'll be staying here a bit longer than the originally planned week?"

"What?" I asked, alarmed. "When the hell did he decide that?"

Keiko hesitated, apparently realizing that I'd had no previous knowledge of Yusuke's plans. "I don't know exactly. If you want details I'd suggest talking to one of the guys." At my look of outrage, she said, "It's not like Yusuke wants us all to have to stay here. That's why he, Kurama, and Hiei are going to the Makai today. Yusuke wants to get as much information about Mecca as quickly as possible, so that he can send us home."

"Yeah, I already knew why they were going to the Makai, to go to their respective territories and gather information. That's all well and good, but why do I have to stay here?" I sighed, shoving a hand through my hair. I wanted to get back to my life. Sure being at the shrine provided me with time to hang out with my friends, but it also kept me from doing any of the things I normally did.

"Again, I suggest talking to the guys." She paused and I assumed she was waiting for me to have some kind of childish outburst, but when I remained silent she continued, "The reason I brought it up in the first place is that I'm going to stop by my apartment and grab some extra clothes. I was wondering if you wanted me to go by your place and get you anything."

I took a second to make a mental list of all the things I'd brought. I'd over-packed in the first place and Genkai's washer and dryer meant I would be able to wash my clothes whenever the need arose. I shook my head. "I'm good on the clothes front, but would you mind buying me a few new books while you're out shopping?"

"Sure. Anything in particular you want?"

"Nope, you know what I like so you can buy at your own discretion." Carrying my dirty bowl to the sink, I added, "Let me just run to my room and grab some money. Back in a second."

I hadn't even made it to the door before Keiko was proclaiming that she didn't want any of money. "I've got it covered, okay?"

I took a second to debate the pros and cons of arguing with her and deciding not to bother. "If you insist," I conceded.

"Oh, trust me I do." She stood up from her chair, just as Yukina made an appearance in the kitchen doorway. "Ready to go?" Keiko asked.

Yukina nodded and looked to Kuwabara, "Are you going to walk us to the train station, Kazuma?"

He looked up from the bagel he had been in the middle of devouring and, speaking through a mouthful of food, replied, "Sure thing, my love." Swallowing the remains of his breakfast in one large bite, he wrapped an arm around his fiancée's shoulder. "Let's go ladies."

Yusuke watched him leave, the girls in tow, and said, "We should get going too but I have no idea where Kurama and Hiei are." He frowned, scanning the kitchen as though they might be hidden somewhere in the room.

"Did you know that you're really dense sometimes?" Ignoring his indignant glare, I asked, "Did you check their rooms?"

He stared at me for a fraction of a second, before saying sarcastically, "I knew I kept you around for a reason, you're just so smart." With that he left the kitchen, heading in the direction of the bedrooms.

"No need to hurtful," I called after him. "You can't blame me for your own inadequacies."

"Shove it, Shyle."

* * *

Genkai bid me farewell twenty minutes after the others had left. She was going to visit a friend; she'd said something about him being a psychic but I hadn't really paid much attention and didn't know the details. What I did know was that she wouldn't be back until late at night or potentially even early tomorrow morning. I can't say I was particularly upset. I didn't mind Genkai, but she wasn't exactly exhilarating company.

The old woman's departure meant that I had the house to myself until Kuwabara returned and I found that I wasn't entirely sure what to do with the time. In the end I wound up digging through Genkai's entertainment center, trying to find some movies to watch.

When Kuwabara returned half an hour later, he found me sprawled across the living room floor, dozens of movies scattered around me. I was in the process of sorting the movies with potential from those that I wouldn't watch if my life depended on it.

"What in the world are you doing?" Kuwabara asked. He was watching me, his head cocked to the side, a quizzical expression on his faze.

"Attempting to find a decent movie. Genkai has the strangest collection of movies I've ever seen. I never would have picked her as a chick flick kind of gal."

"Oh, trust me, she isn't. Most of these movies aren't hers. Over the years we've kind of just started leaving movies here. Why bother bringing them home when we watch the majority of our movies here?" he asked, a small, reminiscent smile on his face. Looking at him, I almost felt like I was intruding on something, like he was remembering private things that I shouldn't be intruding on.

Clearing my throat, I said, "I'm assuming 'we' refers to you, Yusuke, and Keiko."

"Yeah, and Botan and Kurama." He plopped onto the couch and surveyed me, leaning back into the cushions.

"Ah, I see. Hiei hasn't left any movies?"

Kuwabara laughed. "Hiei wouldn't buy a movie if his life depended on it. Don't get me wrong, he watches them with us, but he'd never lower himself to the level of buying anything so uniquely human."

I frowned, not quite sure I understood. "That's stupid. If he's willing to watch the movies then he must like them, which means he's just being pigheaded and stubborn."

"Pigheaded and stubborn. I couldn't have described Hiei better myself."

Shaking my head at his attempt at a joke, I pushed myself into a sitting position, left the reject movies on the floor, and grabbed the pile of movies with potential. Dropping them unceremoniously into Kuwabara's lap, I sat down beside him. "Pick one."

"Aye aye, captain!" He sorted through the movies, tossing what I assumed to be the rejects onto the floor. When he finally had two movies left, he asked, "Action or horror?"

"Action, without a doubt."

"Fair enough," he replied, tossing one of the two movies onto the ground, where it joined the numerous movies scattered across the floor. "Alright, I'll clean up here while you get snacks and drinks. That work for you?"

"Yep." We stood up in unison and, laughing, went about our business. Ten minutes later we were sitting side by side on the couch, munching on our own personal bowls of popcorn, watching the movie's opening credits. I leaned over to Kuwabara and said, "This better be a good movie or you're going to pay."

"That feels like an empty threat," he answered, unfazed by my attempt at intimidation.

"We'll see, my friend, we'll see."

* * *

The piece of popcorn landed in the cup with a faint clink, making itself one of only a dozen to do so. Popcorn lay littered across the floor in a pathetically large circle, testimony to our abysmal accuracy. Or, I should say, my abysmal accuracy. Of the twelve pieces of popcorn in the cup, I had scored none, making me far worse than Kuwabara.

Honestly, I can't say whether the movie was any good or not. We'd watched for roughly twenty minutes before I'd been pegged with an unpopped kernel. I retaliated quickly and we'd spiraled into a popcorn war. At what point we transitioned to the floor and began a strange form of basketball, I'm not entirely sure, but I can say that we'd been playing long enough that I'd lost complete track of what was happening in the movie. It was still playing and the machine gun fire of the war scene depicted provided an interesting background noise, but the actual plot escaped me.

Frowning in concentration, I took aim and let loose a piece of popcorn. It missed to the right and I groaned. "I seriously suck at this."

"You can't be awesome at everything," Kuwabara grinned cheekily. "Although, now that I think of it I'm not really sure you're awesome at anything." He frowned, apparently contemplating how little I was good at.

Eyeing him disdainful, I pegged him in the forehead with a popcorn kernel. "I don't know. I think I'm pretty good at hitting assholes with pieces of popped corn."

"Ha-ha, very funny. It's too bad you can't get any in the cup."

We lapsed into momentary silence as I attempted to prove him wrong and failed miserably. "This game sucks," I muttered, watching as my latest attempt bounced off the cup's rim.

"You're only saying that because you haven't scored."

"So what if I am? I'm entitled to my own opinion."

Pausing just long enough to throw a kernel and miss, Kuwabara replied, "I feel as though we should change the subject."

"Oh, you do, do you?" I asked.

He nodded knowingly. "You appear to be getting temperamental."

"What do you suggest we talk about then?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea. I was simply making a suggestion."

"You're really helpful, you know that?"

"I try," he replied, smugly.

"I suggest you try harder."

Another silence regained, interrupted only by the clink of a piece of popcorn as Kuwabara scored yet again. Suddenly, without even realizing what I was saying, I asked, "Do you think it's pathetic that watching you guys spar made me feel sick?"

"What?" Kuwabara looked up at me, surprised, the kernel he had just thrown missing horribly.

I stared at him without responded, as caught off guard by my question as he was. I'd been trying to think of something to talk about but my current fear of demons hadn't been what I had in mind.

Finally, knowing that I couldn't just skirt the issue now that I'd brought it up, I elaborated, "Yesterday watching you spar with the others guys I felt really uneasy and nauseous. I got all nervous and jittery." I paused for a second, gathering my thoughts. Thinking about the way I'd looked this morning in the bathroom after my shower, yellowing bruises spreading across my cheek and neck, I added, "Remember when you suggested letting Yukina heal my wounds and how I said I'd rather she didn't? I said I didn't want her to for the same reason; I was scared because her healing me would involve the use of her demon energy. And I know that's stupid because Yukina wouldn't hurt a fly but I just couldn't help it. I can't help it." When I finished, slightly out of breath, I realized how badly I'd needed to talk to someone about this, about my fear.

Kuwabara took his time responding and when he finally did it was with a careful slowness, as though he was afraid of saying something wrong. "Why would you think that it's pathetic? I'm almost glad you're afraid –"

"What?" I interrupted. "Why?"

He smiled faintly. "'Cause, Shy, the last thing I want is for you to become involved with all this, with the Makai. If it scares you, if demons scare you, then it means you won't go out of your way to make it a permanent part of your life. The Makai and everything that comes with it is dangerous. Sometimes I wish we'd never involved you." At my slightly hurt look, he laughed lightly and explained, "It's not because I don't love having you around, it's just that I worry that you're going to get hurt, that some demon is going to get it in his head that he can use you to get to us, to Urameshi."

I mulled over what he said for a few seconds and said, "Well, no worries there. If it weren't for you guys and our friendship, I wouldn't want anything to do with the Makai. But my involvement in the Makai aside, you never answered my original question."

Frowning, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion, he asked, "What was your question?"

"Is being afraid pathetic?"

"No, I don't think so. Demons are something foreign to you, something you didn't grow up around. Not to mention that Mecca almost killed you. If you weren't a little freaked, I'd think something was wrong."

He paused and smiled in embarrassment. Rubbing his neck in a way that reminded me of Yusuke, he said, "The first time I went on a mission with Urameshi I was scared out of mind. I didn't show it because the Great Kazuma Kuwabara isn't supposed to be afraid of anything, but I couldn't help it. Considering the fact that I was armed with my spirit sword and you had nothing, I'd say you handled things just fine. The fear will fade with time, once you've learned to differentiate between your friends and enemies. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience."

I studied the piece of popcorn in my hands before taking careful aim and letting it fly. With a soft plink it hit the side of the cup and bounced in, landing on the small pile that Kuwabara had accumulated. Grinning, I said, "I'll take your word for it."

Laughing, Kuwabara asked, "Is it my turn to come up with a topic of conversation?"

"Sure."

He nodded and made a great show of stroking his chin thoughtfully, pretending to be lost in deep contemplation. But when he finally spoke all his previous joking was gone. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing by marrying Yukina?"

It was my turn to be completely caught off guard. "What are you talking about? Of course you should marry Yukina. You guys love each other!" I couldn't help being alarmed. For as long as I'd known Kuwabara his life had revolved around his love for Yukina, that he was now questioning that love was unbelievable.

"I know that, but sometimes I'm not sure that that's enough."

"How is that not enough? What else is there?"

"I don't know, but when I see Yusuke and Keiko and how happy they are, I can't help but wonder if they're doing the right thing by not marrying. I used to think that Keiko was being stubborn by refusing Yusuke's proposals, that she was hung up on some stupid thing, but now that I'm getting ready to marry Yukina I'm having my doubts. Getting married to a demon isn't like getting married to a human. There is so much more to it," he sighed, trailing off into silence.

I had the feeling there was something he wasn't saying, that he was intentionally being vague about what made marrying a demon so complicated, but I spoke regardless, knowing that he needed my opinion. "Personally, I think you should do whatever your heart tells you to do, and yes I know that sounds corny. Do you want to marry Yukina? Because as long as you do everything will work out. I know you, Kuwabara. If you want something to work, you'll make sure it does."

Smiling faintly, he replied, "Thanks for the support, Shy."

"That's what I'm here for."

Chuckling, he said, "Well, since we're on topic of romance, there's something else I wanted to ask you."

"Really? Okay, shoot."

"Why haven't you dated anyone since Hideki? It's been a year. You're over him, aren't you?"

This night was just full of surprised. The last thing I'd expected was Kuwabara bringing up was my ex-boyfriend, if he could even be called that. Hideki and I had gone on two dates and at the end of the second he informed me that he didn't think we should continue seeing each other. While I hadn't been devastated, the break up had hurt and I haven't dated anyone since.

I couldn't believe I was having this conversation twice in under a week. Keiko had accused me of having dating issues the day Mecca attacked me and now it seemed Kuwabara was doing the same thing.

"Shy? Are you going to answer me?"

"Yeah, sorry." Looking down at my hands, I started picking apart a piece of popcorn. "Keiko and I just talked about my dating issues a few days ago. It's like you two are on the same brainwave."

"Great minds do thing alike."

"I can't believe you just said that," I said, laughing. "Anyway, um, after my conversation with Keiko I came to the conclusion that I intentionally find faults with guys because I'm scared of dating."

Kuwabara raised an eyebrow. "You're willing to admit you have a problem?"

"No point in denying it."

"What do you plan to do about it?"

"Stop being so critical, I guess." I glanced up at him and added, "Keiko is under the impression that I should date Hiei."

"The shrimp? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. It's stupid, right?"

I was surprised when he actually paused and gave the idea some serious thought. At last he looked up at me, his eyes dancing with amusement, and said, "You might actually be good for him."

I stared at him, shocked, and was about to ask if he was on something when I heard the front door open and the sound of voices in the hallway.

Kuwabara immediately started a conversation, mocking me for my complete inability to throw popcorn kernels with any kind of accuracy. Realizing that he was trying to save us from explaining just what exactly we had been talking about, I played along, throwing a kernel at him just as Yusuke appeared in the doorway, Kurama and Hiei visible behind him.

"I'm pretty sure you're supposed to eat popcorn, not throw it." Yusuke grinned and entered the room, dropping down into a seat on the couch.

"You don't say, Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked, sarcasm dripping from each word.

"Just figured I'd point it out."

Interrupting before they could start bickering, I said, "You guys are home earlier than expected. Find anything out?"

Kurama joined Yusuke on the couch and Hiei wandered over to the window, where he stood with his back to the room. Yusuke leaned forward, grinning triumphantly, and said, "Actually, we did."

* * *

AN: This was just one of those chapters that writes itself. Personally, I like this one, mostly because I got to show Shyle and Kuwabara's relationship. Not to mention, I utterly love Kuwabara. I hope you guys like it as much as I do.

Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, they were awesome. Keep 'em coming! They really do give me great inspiration. There were eight for last chapter, can I get ten for this one?


	9. You Can Let Go

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Really?" Kuwabara asked, scrambling to his feet and moving to take a seat on the loveseat. He sounded excited, no doubt by the prospect of a potential clash with Mecca, and I smiled faintly. There's nothing like a boy and his love of fighting.

Yusuke grinned wickedly. "Heck yeah, we did." He appeared ready to launch into an explanation of what they'd learned, but Kurama began to speak before Yusuke had the opportunity.

"You should know that our news is not entirely good."

"What do you mean it isn't good?" Kuwabara said, perplexed. "Any news is good news, right?"

"Yes and no," Kurama replied. "We know more about Mecca than we did, but that new knowledge has raised even more questions. I'm getting ahead of myself; we should be explaining what we've learned." Kurama turned his eyes to Yusuke and waited expectantly for the hanyou to begin.

"Oh, can I speak now?" Yusuke made no attempt to hide his irritation.

"Yes. Did I ever say you couldn't?"

Yusuke glared at Kurama, apparently unable to formulate any kind of response. Finally, with all the maturity of a six year old, he snapped, "Well, that's too bad because I don't want to." Leaning back in his seat, Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest and glared at spot on the far wall.

"What did the wall ever do to you?" I asked. Finding myself subject to Yusuke's annoyed stare, I fell silent.

Sighing, Kurama looked away from Yusuke and began to speak. "Seeing as Yusuke no longer has any interest in explaining, I will take over. As you both know, we went to the Makai with the intent of visiting each of the territories and gathering what information we could about Mecca. Shy was right in her assumption that it took us very little time to learn what we wanted. Or, I should say, to learn what our informants could tell us. Much of what we learned raised questions that no one could answer, leaving us with a dilemma. In order to catch you both up to speed, I will explain what we discovered and then we can discuss what to do about our new questions.

"We already knew that Mecca is a raion, a lion demon. What we didn't know was that he is the head of a pride. Much like the lions found in the Ningenkai, raions live in prides, consisting of females, offspring, and a male. That Mecca leads a pride is clearly worrisome. We can assume that his pride members will be willing to lay down their lives for him, meaning that he has at least a small group of loyal followers. Besides leading his pride, Mecca is also the head of a slave trafficking ring."

I gasped faintly, so faintly that I didn't think any of the others would hear it, but Kurama stopped speaking, his eyes darting to me worriedly. Forcing myself to smile, I said, "Sorry, I was just caught off guard. By slaves you mean humans, right?"

"Yes," Kurama answered. "I forgot that you would be unused to the idea of human trafficking."

"Actually I already knew that some demons use humans as slaves, Kuwabara told me once. What surprised me was that Mecca is involved in one. I mean, he could have very easily kidnapped me and sold me as a slave. And, well, doesn't that raise another question? Genkai wanted to know why he left me alive, but now don't we need to know why he didn't take me?"

"Hn, the woman has a good point." I looked at Hiei, who had now taken a seat on the windowsill and was watching me appraisingly. I shifted uncomfortably under his watchful stare and looked away.

"Maybe we were wrong about our originally theory of why Mecca left Shy alive," Kuwabara said. "Perhaps it had nothing to do with Mecca thinking Shy's death to be irrelevant or that killing her would be against his orders. We don't even have proof that he was following orders at all, do we?"

"Other than our assumption based on him mentioning seeing a picture of Keiko, no, we don't," Kurama answered.

"Okay, so what I figure is that maybe Mecca wanted us to find out who he was. It would make sense if that was the case. By leaving Shy alive, he left behind a witness that could identify him."

"Yeah, but why would he want us to know who he is?" Yusuke asked, finally deciding to rejoin the conversation. "Isn't that a little counterproductive. If we know who he is, we can keep an eye out for him, which makes defending those we care about a lot easier."

"Unless that's what he wants," I said. I was talking quietly, somewhat unsure if should even be contributing to the conversation. "Isn't it possible that he wants you guys to focus on what he may or may not be doing, so that someone else can catch us by surprise?"

"So you're suggesting that he's trying to use himself as a distraction, something to keep us from figuring out what's really going on?" Yusuke asked. I nodded and the room fell silent.

After what felt like ages, Kurama cleared his throat and said, "Well, Shy, you've certainly raised an interesting question but for now I think we should concentrate on the other information we learned today."

"Sure, that's fine," I murmured. I hadn't really meant to start some big long conversation and I didn't mind the idea of moving on and talking about something else.

"As I was saying, Mecca is involved in a slave trafficking ring. Yet again this is troublesome because not only will he have loyal followers in the ring, but the ring itself provides him with an easy way to disguise what he is doing. Trafficking rings are shady and very little of what happens within their inner circles is revealed to outsiders. The actions of ring members are almost impossible to track, which means that Mecca can do just about anything he wants and the dealings of others in the ring will prevent us from figuring out just what he is doing.

"Kuwabara, you asked earlier if we had any proof that Mecca has some sort of superior or someone he takes orders from and as far as we were able to find out he doesn't. Nobody we asked today had any idea about who he may report to. This, of course, does not rule out the idea of Mecca having a commander, but it does mean that it will be nigh on impossible for us to figure out who it is if he does have one. Any questions so far?"

When Kurama received no response, he continued smoothly on to his next topic. "As for Mecca's abilities as a fighter, we learned a surprisingly large amount. We'd taken the liberty of assuming he was strong, both because of Shyle's description of him and his ability to throw her across the Yukimura's restaurant, and everyone we talked to verified this conjecture. Most of his demon energy contributes to his brute strength and he has very few attacks, most of which are based entirely on blasts of pure energy. We were told that Mecca opts not to use a weapon of any kind." Looking to Yusuke and Hiei, Kurama asked, "Am I missing anything?"

When Kurama had resumed his explanation of their activities in the Makai, Yusuke had returned to sulking and now, looking balefully at Kurama, he refused to speak. From his seat at the window, Hiei uttered a quiet 'hn,' which I assumed meant he couldn't think of anything.

"Um, I'm not really sure it's important, but who did you talk to?" Kuwabara asked, speaking up from his seat on the loveseat.

Kurama answered, "We each went to our own territories and spoke to those we knew there. Personally I went to Gendar and consulted Yomi, many of his advisors, and a variety of people who spend time at his court. Yusuke visited Tourin, where he talked with Hokushin and the other monks. Alaric was Hiei's destination and I believe he spoke with Mukuro and members of her army." Kurama glanced from the hanyou to the fire demon. "That's correct, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Yusuke snapped.

"Hn."

There was a very awkward silence, which was finally broken when Kuwabara asked, "So what's our plan of action?"

I didn't bother to listen to the response. To be truthful, I didn't really want to know anything else. The sooner I was out of the room the better; I'd had more than enough talk about demons and fighting for one day. I simply couldn't get my mind off the idea that I could be someone's slave at this very moment and all it would have taken was a slightly different decision on Mecca's part.

The very idea of slavery made me shudder and I quickly set to work gathering the scattered popcorn, dumping it all into the bowl I'd been eating from. When the floor was clean I stood up, grabbing both Kuwabara and my own bowls, and headed for the kitchen. I made quick work of the popcorn and dirty bowls and then retraced my steps through the living room. Pausing in the doorway to the hall where the bedrooms were located, I said, "Have fun, guys. I'm done with all this demon business. I'll be outside."

It took me only a few minutes to change into my bathing suit top and a pair of shorts, grab a book from my bedside table, locate a beach towel, and head outside. I spread the towel out on the grass and lay down on top of it, propping my book open in front of me. Taking a deep breath, I banished all thoughts of demons from my mind and focused on the words in front of me.

* * *

The sun was setting, the last rays causing an orange glow around the trees, when Kurama found me. I heard him approaching and, flipping my book shut, rolled onto my side to greet him. "Hey. What's up?"

He smiled warmly and replied, "Keiko and Yukina just got back. They're starting to make dinner."

I raised an eyebrow when he didn't say anything else, confused as to why he'd bother to come outside just to tell me that. Cocking my head to the side, I asked, "Is that all?"

Despite knowing him only for a short time, I knew that the hesitation that preceded his answer was uncharacteristic. Uneasily, I listened as he asked, "Would you mind if I sit?"

"Of course not," I answered, pushing myself into a sitting position and making room for him on the towel. He took a seat beside me, but remained silent. Deciding to go for the blunt approach, I said, "Look, Kurama. I know you want to ask me something, so just spit it out."

He laughed slightly before replying, "Sorry, I'm not intentionally trying to drag this out, I'm simply unsure how to proceed."

"Allow me to suggest the direct approach."

Chuckling, he said, "Yes, that does seem to be the best method." He looked up at the sky, studying the sunset. "It's pretty here, isn't it?"

"I hope that wasn't the question that was giving you so much trouble."

"It wasn't."

"Good to hear."

"Alright, so you suggest the direct approach?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Have you told you parents about demons or the Makai?"

I blinked once, startled by his question. "Where the hell did that come from?"

He shook his head and said, "Answer the question."

"No. No, I haven't told them anything."

"I figured as much," he murmured. He continued to look at the sky, but his eyes were unfocused and I had a feeling he wasn't seeing the sunset.

Shifting nervously, I plucked a piece of grass and began to pick it apart, trying to separate it down its center vein. "Is something wrong?"

He sighed and shook his head. His eyes focused as he turned to look at me and the anxiety in their green depths unsettled me. "I suggest you tell them. And, quite frankly, the sooner you do it the better."

He fell silent, his eyes still locked on my face. I glanced away, plucking another piece of grass. "They'd freak," I said at last. "If I told them about all this stuff they'd go crazy and get all overprotective. They wouldn't understand."

"You're wrong." I glanced sharply at Kurama, annoyed that he thought he could predict how my parents would react. He smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I apologize if it seems I'm being presumptive, but I believe you're wrong."

Yet again he stopped talking, but I made no move to speak. We sat in silence until Kurama began to speak once again, explaining himself. "I've never told my mother the truth of what I am. It is easily the biggest regret of my life. I know what you think of that, you want to know why I simply don't tell her now, but you must understand how impossible that would be. I've kept the truth from her for so long that I would not know how to begin."

"For so long, I've believed that admitting what I am would drive her away from me, would ruin the relationship I have with her. In the past few years, I've finally come to see that nothing I could ever do would come between us. A parent's bond with their child is something that cannot be broken. I wish desperately that I had seen that earlier. It would have saved me so much trouble."

"Unlike me, it is not too late for you to explain, Shyle. You could come clean and tell your parents everything. I believe with all my heart that they would take what you said in stride, that they would still recognize you as their daughter and treat you no differently than they always have. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I studied him, trying to figure out what had made him admit all this to me. He'd looked away from me, turning his eyes to his hands. I followed his gaze, studying his long, delicate fingers. Small white scars were scattered across the skin and without thinking I asked, "Why are your fingers scarred?"

He glanced at me in confusion. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Your fingers, they're covered in scars."

"I've grown plants all my life, roses in particular. They are my mother's favorite. The scars are a result of tending to plants that are both beautiful and dangerous."

I tried to hide my surprise at his answer. I'd assumed that he had acquired the scars in battle; that their nature was so innocent caught me off guard. I'd assumed that everything in his life that was important occurred because he was a demon, but clearly I was wrong.

And then it clicked home why he had brought up a subject that was so hard for him, why he felt it so important for me to tell my parents everything. He was sick of living two lives. He wished that when he came back to the Ningenkai from the Makai he didn't need to hide anything, at least not when in the presence of those he cared about.

I'd always thought of Kurama as a demon, but in truth he was just as human as Yusuke, maybe more so. Where Yusuke had both human and demon blood flowing through his veins, Kurama instead had both a human and demon soul within his body. From what I'd understood of Keiko's explanation, Kurama was in fact two people: Shuuichi Minamino and Youko Kurama. The Kurama I was sitting next to couldn't be defined as either of those people. He was neither a demon nor a human, but a combination of both, a man created by a complicated past that couldn't be packed neatly into a little box.

I glanced at him, the sun had set and he was lit only by the light shining from the shrine's windows. I'd expected that he would look different now, that my realization would allow me to see him better, but he looked as he always had. "Yeah," I said finally, answering the question he'd asked me what felt like ages ago, "I get what you're saying. I just don't know how I'd go about explaining it to them."

"Allow me to suggest the direct approach."

I glanced at him to find that he was smiling, his strange mood from only seconds before gone. It was as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulder when I'd admitted to seeing his point, as though I'd freed him somehow.

"Oh, really? You want me to just call them up and be like 'hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that all my friends are demons.' That would go over really well," I joked.

"You're right," he conceded. "It would be better if you at least went to their house."

I snorted. "I'm not really seeing how that would be any better."

Smiling, he elaborated on his originally advice. "What I meant is that you should go to their house and explain. Don't sugarcoat anything, just tell them the truth. Explain about the three worlds and then tell them about demons. Let them ask questions, be as honest as you can. They'll accept everything you say; it won't change anything between you."

"Easy for you to say, you don't know my mom."

He cocked his head to the side questioningly. "You doubt that she'll accept what you have to say?"

"Nah, she'll eat it up, it'll excite the crap out of her."

"Then what's the problem?"

"She's going to think I'm telling her everything because I have a boyfriend. A demon boyfriend."

Kurama chuckled but stopped when I shot him a threatening look. "I'm sorry, that's not funny." Even as he spoke he started laughing again and tried to cover it with a cough.

"It really isn't," I snapped. "She's going to assume that I'm only telling them about demons because I fell in love with one. She'll start crying and talking about wedding plans before I even have the chance to tell her there's no boyfriend. It's going to suck."

Kurama took one look at the pout on my face and broke out into unrestrained laughter. "You really don't find it funny at all?"

"I don't find it funny because it isn't funny."

"I beg to differ."

"I think you're being insensitive of my feelings. I'm going to be traumatized and you find it hysterical."

"I hadn't taken you for the drama queen type," Kurama said, standing up and brushing off his pants.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Your looks are deceiving also. You look way nicer than you are."

Chuckling and clearly not offended, he offered his hand and I took it, allowing him to pull me up. He reached down and retrieved my towel and book. Handing me the book, he flung the towel over his shoulder and turned to the shrine. "Dinner should be about ready."

Smiling sheepishly, I said, "I should go in and help set the table or something, at least make an attempt at being useful."

He nodded and started toward the shrine. I fell in step beside him. He paused at the steps. "Promise you'll talk to your parents?"

I nodded. "Promise."

* * *

AN: I had to rewrite the whole beginning of this chapter (most of the stuff about Mecca) because I'd originally had Yusuke explaining everything, but it just didn't feel right. Yusuke isn't really the type for long drawn out speeches, so I change things so that Kurama explained what they learned.

As for the talk that Kurama and Shy had, I know that Kurama wasn't his normal completely-in-control self, but I hope I explained why.

Eleven reviews! You guys rock. Can we have a repeat performance?


	10. Say Anything Else

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

My foot caught in a root and I stumbled, windmilling my arms wildly to maintain my balance. "Shit," I muttered between pants.

Of course, I couldn't blame anyone but myself for my near wipeout. I'd been lost in my own thoughts, ignoring my surroundings, when I tripped. Considering the number of times I've rolled or sprained an ankle, I should know enough to pay attention when running in the woods, and yet my face had almost just become best friends with the dirt.

That being said, it took barely ten seconds for my mind to wander back to my previous train of thought. I needed to figure out how I was going to handle Hiei. I was weighing the pros and cons of being aloof, friendly, or some kind of awkward in between. None sounded particularly appealing. Aloof wasn't going to get me anywhere and, if I was being honest with myself, I did want to make Hiei's presence at the end of my runs a good thing rather than an annoyance. I doubted that I'd be able to be neither aloof nor friendly; I just wasn't good at only being acquaintances. I had to go for all or nothing.

That logic effectively narrowed my choice down to being friendly, which I didn't see as something that would go over well. Hiei would probably ignore any of my attempts at conversation.

Probably ignore? Yeah, right. He would most definitely ignore me.

And that left me in a dilemma. How could I possibly get him to acknowledge my presence and potentially form some kind of friendship?

I leapt a large tree root, lengthening my stride in a well-practiced shift of pace. I enjoyed running in the woods a million times more than running on pavement. For one thing, I ran faster, no doubt because I was always leaping roots. Plus, there was the added benefit of almost complete shade and, while it was still relatively earlier in the summer and wasn't that warm in the morning, I knew that I would appreciate the coolness as the mornings grew hotter.

I passed a tree that I used as a marker for the last half-mile and realized that I didn't have much longer to figure out how to deal with Hiei.

So if being friendly was my best option and even that wouldn't be enough, what else could I do? And that's when it hit me. Why just be friendly, when I could be overly friendly?

Grinning wickedly, I turned a corner in the path and caught sight of the shrine through the trees. I slowed my pace, coming to a stop just below the tree that Hiei was perched in.

"Morning," I called up to the fire demon. I was out of breath and panting, but I made a great show of waving exuberantly and smiling. "How was your wait? Not too boring I hope."

He eyed me strangely, his crimson eyes narrowed. "What is wrong with you?"

I grinned, "I don't see the point in us being hostile with one another. If you're going to insist on being here every morning, then I'm going to have to insist that we talk with one another." Smiling sweetly, I added, "And don't worry. You won't even have to participate. I'd love it if you would, but I can keep a conversation going all on my own. It won't be a problem, just ask Yusuke or Kuwabara, they can attest to my linguistic talents."

Though his face remained studiously blank, I could tell I had caught him off guard. His body posture stiffened, his hands curled into fists, and I could have sworn that I saw his eye twitch.

Beaming, I took a seat against the tree opposite Hiei's perch and looked up at him. "So, are you going to participate?"

Disregarding my question, he asked, "Are you going to insist on prattling away pointlessly?"

"Yes, I am," I said, daring him to tell me not to.

"Hn, that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"Really? Personally, I disagree."

I restrained an excited smile. In less than five minutes of overt friendliness, I'd gotten Hiei to take part in the conversation. I could already feel a plan forming, a way to get Hiei to open up.

He was watching me, disdain clear in his eyes. "If you believe I will sit here and discuss mundane human topics with you, then you know far less than I was led to believe."

"I'm not suggesting we talk about human crap, in fact human topics are boring. You're a demon; I'm more than willing to listen to the awesome stories you have to tell." I leaned forward, draping my arms over my knees. I was being truthful; I'd dropped my act. Learning about the Makai from a firsthand point of view would be interesting, but I doubted Hiei was going to prove willing to open up to me, at least in the beginning that is.

He proved my suspicions right almost immediately. "What makes you think I'd want to talk to you about the Makai?"

I shrugged. "If you don't want to talk about humans, I figured you'd want to talk about demons. But since you're saying you don't want to talk about either, we've been brought back to my original question. Are you going to participate in the conversation?"

"Isn't that what I'm doing?" A confident smirk crossed his face as he spoke.

"Is it? I thought you were being argumentative. Arguing and talking aren't really the same things."

He watched me, studying me so intently that I had to fight down a blush. When it didn't seem like he was going to respond, I said, "I have a suggestion, if you're willing to follow it."

"What?"

"Rather than having a boring conversation, we can make a game out of it. I'll ask you a question and then you can ask me a question. That way neither of us is talking any more than the other. It's an equal exchange, don't you think?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Is that your first question?" At the baleful stare Hiei sent me I sighed and asked, "Why wouldn't you? It's a pretty simple idea and it could be fun if you're willing to take part."

Apparently deciding to humor me, Hiei said, "What's your first question?"

"I'll start simple. Can you explain your position in the Makai? How about Kurama's?"

"That's two questions," Hiei stated dryly.

"Please don't be difficult," I pleaded.

"Hn, you're lucky I'm doing this at all."

I took a deep calming breath. I felt like I was trying to talk to a three year old, a very stubborn three year old. "Are you going to answer my questions or not?"

"Has Yusuke's woman never explained it to you?"

"You mean Keiko?" I laughed. Hearing Keiko referred to as Yusuke's woman was hilarious. It made her sound like Yusuke had some measure of control over her, which I knew was far from true. In fact, it seemed to me that Keiko had far more control over Yusuke than he had ever had over her. "She's told me some things but I'm sure you could explain everything better."

Yet another confident smirk spread across Hiei's face and I resisted the urge to tell him that his superiority was showing. "Hn, you're right, I can explain better than that woman."

"Are you going to explain or are you all talk?"

"Kurama currently holds a position in Yomi's royal court in the Gendar territory. He acts as one of Yomi's numerous advisors, counseling Yomi on a variety of issues ranging from war to feeding the territory's many people. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

"Concerning Kurama? Yes. Concerning you? Not so much."

"I am heir to Lord Mukuro of Alaric."

"Lord Mukuro? I thought Mukuro was a woman."

"She is," he answered flatly, his expression bored.

"Then why is she called Lord Mukuro?"

"For years every demon in the Makai thought her to be a man, a king at that. If she were to start referring to herself as a lady, she would no doubt lose many of her supporters as well as her standing in Makai politics."

"Why would being called Lady Mukuro change her standing?"

"You've asked far more than one question," he observed.

Sighing, I said, "You can ask me a bunch too, okay?"

"Hn. Demons respect men more than women; it is simply a fact of the Makai."

"That's dumb," I said, amazed at how backward Makai society was. "Women are men's equals."

Hiei snorted. "Maybe that is true in the Ningenkai, where women's physical limitations are not vital to their survival, but it is far different in the Makai. Most females who attempt to become fighters are defeated before they become even remotely strong enough to have made a name for themselves. Males are faster, stronger, more ruthless, I could continue but I'm sure you get the point. It is simply a fact of nature that men are women's physical superiors and in the Makai physical ability is all that matters."

"I'm just going to go out on a limb and point out that that was the longest speech I've ever heard you make."

Hiei stared at me, unfazed by my attempt at a joke. "Have I satisfied your questions?"

"Uh, sure, I guess. Shoot."

"Shoot what?"

I giggled, realizing that Hiei may not be used to the human expression. "I meant you could ask your question." He watched me, waiting for something. "Sorry, your questions."

"Why do you run everyday?"

"That's your question?" I asked, disbelievingly.

He glared at me. "I was under the impression that it was my turn to ask the questions."

"Right, sorry," I replied, trying to appear apologetic. "Um, well, I run because I love it. Running lets me get away from everything. It's a way for me to relax and have time to think. You run too, don't you? Why do you do it?" I realized that I had once again asked a question out of turn, but this time Hiei didn't rebuke me.

"To train, to give myself an advantage in my next fight."

"Don't you enjoy it?"

"I take pleasure in running only because of the self-improvement it provides me with."

I was silent, trying to fathom how he could do something that he didn't love. How was it possible that he could be so solely focused on fighting?

"Are you done asking questions when you are meant to be answering mine?" So he had noticed that I'd asked questions when I shouldn't have.

"Sorry," I muttered, embarrassment coloring my cheeks.

"Hn. How did you meet Yusuke and the others?"

"Keiko and I became friends in high school. She introduced me to Kuwabara and Yusuke."

And so it continued. Our questions remained innocent and impersonal, but I was surprised by how willing to take part Hiei was. He asked and answered questions with seeming ease, as though drawn out conversations were something he had often.

When I finally glanced at my running watch, I was astonished to see how late it had gotten. I pushed myself to my feet, brushing off my butt as I did so. "I think we should head inside. The others are going to wonder what happened to us."

"Hn." Just like that, Hiei had returned to his short, clipped responses. Rolling my eyes at his unsocial behavior, I waited for him to jump down from the tree and, with Hiei at my side, started toward the shrine.

If all of our mornings were like this, things might prove interesting.

* * *

My hair was still damp from my shower when I entered the kitchen. Keiko was sitting at the table, a phone pressed to her ear, her expression annoyed. Leaning against a counter, watching Keiko avidly, was Yusuke, who was stuffing his face with a granola bar. I caught his gaze and raised an eyebrow, mouthing, "Who's she talking to?"

"Mommy dearest," he mouthed back between bites.

I nodded my understanding and jerked the fridge door open, looking for something to eat.

"Mom, I already told you. We're going to stay with Genkai for a few more weeks," Keiko said. I could hear the frustration in her voice and I had a feeling that she was using all her self-control not to yell at her mom. "Yes, Mom, we have the money. Yusuke had been saving for a few months; he wanted to surprise me with a vacation."

I closed the refrigerator door, a bowl of fruit salad that I'd made the day before in my hand, and glanced at Keiko. She was tapping her fingers against the table top agitatedly, her eyebrows pulled together in irritation. "The diner will be fine for a few weeks," she sighed. "Our loyal customers will still be around when I open the restaurant back up. Trust me, please; I know what I'm doing."

I grabbed a fork and dropped into the seat across from Keiko. Popping the lid off the fruit bowl, I started eating, my eyes on my friend.

This was what Kurama had been talking about. Keiko had to lie to her mother, had to pretend that Yusuke didn't have enough money to support them for the rest of their lives. I was glad that I'd promised Kurama that I would come clean to my parents. The last thing I wanted was to spend the rest of my life lying to them.

Which reminded me. I needed to call my parents. Not to tell them everything, but to set up a day for me to come over for dinner. I'd drop the demon bomb on them over my mom's wonderful cooking. Or maybe I would wait till we were eating my father's dessert. Either way, I planned to tell them over food, when they were both full, content, and hopefully drinking wine.

Keiko punched the end button on the phone savagely and slammed it down on the table. Shoving her fingers through her hair, she glanced at me. "Parents are so annoying."

I grinned. "Only because they care."

"Bullshit. They go out of their way to be smothering and overprotective. It's like some sick hobby."

"Touché."

"Don't attempt to sound sophisticated, Shy," Yusuke said. "It doesn't really work when you have yellow bruises all over your neck and face."

"Way to be blunt."

"I try."

"Of course you do," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Mind if I use the phone? Seeing you talking to your mom reminded me that I need to call my own parents."

"No problem," Keiko answered, sliding the phone across the table.

I was reaching out to grab it when it vanished, seemingly into midair. Cackling at the doorway alerted my to Yusuke's involvement in the phone's disappearance. "You want this?" he asked, dangling the phone between two of his fingers. "Come and get it."

"Give me the phone," I demanded.

"No way."

I shoved my chair back, jumping out of it and lunging toward Yusuke. He darted out of the way, taunting me as he bolted through the living room. "Too slow."

"Don't piss me off, Yusuke. Give me the phone."

"I repeat, no way."

"Damn it, Urameshi," I yelled, chasing him around the couch.

I skidded to a halt, following him as he randomly changed course and dashed into the hallway. He was halfway down the hallway when the door to Kuwabara's bedroom flew open and smashed him in the face. I was on him before he had a chance to recover and yanked the phone out of his grip.

"What the hell just happened?" Kuwabara asked, emerging from his room.

"You assisted me in getting the phone from dumb ass here," I answered, kicking Yusuke in the ribs.

He groaned and pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing his face. "Jeeze, Kuwabara. Way to help the enemy."

"The enemy? You mean me?"

"Who else would I mean?"

"I'd watch what you say," I warned. "You're still on the ground and I am more than willing to kick you again."

Kuwabara eyed us warily and said, "I'm going to go get something to eat. Have fun doing whatever the hell this is." He bolted past us toward the kitchen.

"Way to go, you scared off the mighty Kazuma Kuwabara," I quipped.

"Oh yeah, blame it on me."

"Thanks for the permission, but it seems unnecessary seeing as I already blamed you." I smiled down at him and added, "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go call my parental figures."

I was entering my room when Yusuke said, "I doubt they want to hear from you." I laughed but didn't respond, closing my bedroom door behind me.

Flopping down on my bed, I dialed my parents' house and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" I recognized the voice as my dad's and I grinned.

"Hey, Daddy! How are you?"

"Shy? We haven't heard from you in ages. It's good to see you're still alive and well," he joked.

"Yeah, well, I like to leave time between contact, to build up suspense and all that."

Chuckling, my father asked, "Why did you call?"

"I was wondering if you and Mom would mind if I dropped by sometime soon for dinner?"

"We'd love it if you came over. When were you thinking?"

"When ever is good for you guys will work for me," I answered.

"Give me a second and I'll ask your mother." I listened as he put the phone down and yelled to my mom. She hated when he did that; she was always scolding at him for calling through the house. A minute later, he picked the phone back up and asked, "How does this Sunday sound?"

"That works for me. Thanks, Dad. I'll see you then."

"Sure thing, sweetie. See you Sunday."

"Love you, Daddy."

"Love you too." The line went dead and I hit the end button.

Alright, so Sunday would be the day when I dropped the bomb on my parents. I prayed that Kurama was right, prayed that they'd accept what I had to say and take it in stride.

If only I could do more than pray.

* * *

AN: Alright, so we had some Shyle/Hiei interaction. What did you think? I tried to keep Hiei in character, but it was rather difficult seeing as he was actually taking part in conversation. No worries though, it'll all be explained in time.

I definitely didn't get eleven reviews last chapter, but that's alright. Still, three was kind of a downer. Can I hope for more than that this time?

P.S. I have a one shot up. Check it out and tell me what you think.


	11. Weird World

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

I tugged the edge of my skirt nervously, fidgeting as I waited for Hiei and Kurama to make an appearance. When I'd informed the others that I was going to be having dinner with my parents on Sunday, Yusuke had insisted that one of the guys go with me. He claimed it was for my protection, saying something about Mecca attacking me while I was in the city.

Personally, I think he's being overprotective. Maybe all those years as Spirit Detective knocked a screw loose in his brain, causing him to see danger where it doesn't exist. But hey, who am I to judge?

Regardless of his reasoning, the buddy system had been instated and I was now stuck with the two demons for company. I wasn't entirely sure if it was a good or bad thing to have companions. On the one hand, I'd have people to talk to that could distract me from my nerves; on the other hand, knowing that Kurama and Hiei were going to be waiting outside my parents' house to find out how the revelation went was reeking havoc on my already frazzled nerves.

Yusuke's plan was for us to take the train back to the city and then make the five minute walk to my parents' as a group. Once outside my parents' place, Kurama and Hiei were going to go waste time in the general area of the house while I went inside and had dinner.

How were we to meet up after I had dinner?

Yusuke, being the uber-idiot that he is, had not thought that far.

In the end, it was decided, much to my reluctance, that Hiei would keep tabs on my mind so that when dinner ended he and Kurama would know. My resistance to the plan was due to the fact that 'keeping tabs' on my mind meant that Hiei would be able to hear all my thoughts.

I'd thought that I had insured that no mind reading would ever occur when I risked life and limb to ask Hiei to stay out of my head. Apparently, I had been wrong.

I guess that it shouldn't really be a problem and with most parents it wouldn't be. Sadly though, there's my mom to factor into the equation, and she is most definitely not 'most parents.' I was already imagining the wonderfully embarrassing questions she was going to ask.

Damn Yusuke and his stupid ass buddy system.

So now, on top of everything else, I also had to worry about having a prying demon inside my head. Just about the only thing I didn't need to stress about were my bruises, which had finally disappeared entirely. I'd been worried that the bruises wouldn't fade and I'd have to explain them to my parents, which would have meant explaining things on their terms instead of mine.

"Shyle, are you alright?"

I resisted the urge to tell Yukina to shove off and leave me the hell alone. I had a feeling that yelling at the small apparition would not get me anywhere. "Yeah, I'm alright. Nauseous and lightheaded, but alright."

She eyed me quietly and finally said, "I'm sure your parents will be very accepting of what you have to tell them. Keiko says they are very nice people."

"Nice and sane are two entirely different things." That Yukina didn't understand what I was saying was immediately obvious. Sighing, I muttered, "Never mind, it's not important."

"Okay," Yukina replied. With a demure smile she turned away from me, returning her attention to the tea she was making.

Sometimes I question how it's possible for Yukina and Kuwabara to be in a relationship. They're polar opposites, both in the physical and psychological sense. Kuwabara is, for lack of a better way to say it, huge, loud, and easily excited. On the complete opposite of the scale is Yukina, who is tiny, soft spoken, and self-contained. But, I guess, that's love at its strangest.

I glanced through the living room down the bedroom hallway. Where the hell were Kurama and Hiei? Had they forgotten about me?

A door swung open and I straightened eagerly, grabbing my purse off the table and getting ready to leave. The sooner this was over with the better.

Ten seconds later I plopped my purse back down on the table and sank into a seat with a groan. Yusuke grinned at me. "Don't act so happy to see me, Shy? You may inflate my ego."

"What are those two doing? I was ready to leave fifteen minutes ago."

"Don't ask me," he replied. "What they do on their own time is none of my business."

"You aren't even remotely helpful. Not to mention the fact that I could have left as soon as I was ready if it weren't for you and your stupid overprotective buddy crap."

"Buddy crap? Well, excuse me!" Yusuke snapped indignantly. "I'm just trying to protect you and this is how you repay me?"

"Shove it, Yusuke." I was too nervous to even make the command heartfelt.

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "Is someone down in the dumps?"

"Don't mock me right now."

"Threats aren't really that effective when issued by someone in a skirt and blouse."

"Screw you," I grumbled, annoyed with him.

"Sorry, you can't. I'm with Keiko." When I didn't respond to him, he added, "I didn't realize that you even owned skirts. Kuwabara, did you know Shy has girl clothes?"

I glanced up to find Kuwabara in the doorway, looking extremely confused by Yusuke's question. "What are you talking about, Urameshi? Shy's a girl, of course she has girl clothes."

"You're no help," Yusuke said, glaring at Kuwabara.

"And you're retarded," I muttered.

Yusuke shifted his glare to me and said, "I hope it takes Kurama and Hiei another hour to get out here."

"It better not, or I'm going to leave without them," I threatened.

"No need to leave without us," Kurama said, appearing in the doorway that Kuwabara had vacated moments earlier in favor of a seat at the table. "I apologize for the delay. I was convincing Hiei to wear human clothing. I made us reservations at a restaurant down the street from your parents' house and Hiei's usual attire would not have been appropriate."

"Yeah, that's nice," I said anxiously, pushing my chair back and standing up. Grabbing my purse once more, I added, "Let's go. I want to get this over with."

I headed for the front door without checking if the two men were following me. Glancing up as I slid my shoes on, I caught my first glimpse of Hiei.

Immediately I redirected my gaze down to my shoes, desperately fighting a blush. If Hiei in his normal clothes was attractive, then Hiei in human clothes was down right sexy. I was suddenly very glad that he wouldn't be reading my mind until we got to the city.

He was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a simple navy blue shirt. Not exactly an outfit to die for, except that on him it was incredible. The jeans hugged his hips perfectly, hanging low and allowing a strip of skin to show between the jeans and shirt when he moved. The shirt itself was short sleeved and clung to him slightly, revealing incredible muscles both on his chest and arms.

Praying my blush went unnoticed, I asked, "Are you guys ready?"

"I believe so," Kurama replied.

I didn't respond and yanked the front door open, eager to get on with it. The walk to the train was awkwardly silent, leaving me with far too much thinking time.

My mind was focused on two things: the approaching dinner with my parents and Hiei. Finding neither topic particularly appealing, I opted for the lesser of two evils, which happened to be Hiei. I'd rather be embarrassed because I was thinking about the fire demon, than nervous about my parents.

Our conversations the past few mornings have proved interesting. Much like the first day, the questions have been relatively innocent and easy to answer, but I've learned a lot anyway. And, weirdly enough, not all I learned was about him.

While most of his past remained a mystery, he had revealed how he had come to meet Kurama, Yusuke, and the others. Hiei had also explained more to me about the guys' missions than anyone else ever had.

Hiei's questions tended to be short and to the point, requiring succinct answers, and, odd though it may be, the fire demon tended to talk more than I did. If my questions were simple and impersonal, then Hiei's were barely questions at all. They required no divulgence of secrets or personal revelations. In fact, one of his questions had been what my favorite color was. Answering amethyst hadn't exactly been difficult.

Why Hiei didn't ask me any questions with even the faintest amount of substance, I wasn't sure, but it made me nervous. I was afraid that one day he was going to ask me some horrifically hard, embarrassing question that I would be forced to answer. The idea of it made me shiver and I was happy to find that we had arrived at the train station.

"How long is the ride?"

"Nearly two hours," Kurama answered.

"That sucks."

* * *

"We'll be right down the street if you need us," Kurama instructed for the hundredth time.

"Okay, I get it," I said, allowing my exasperation to show. "But isn't it a little redundant for me to come get you since Hiei is going to know if something goes wrong?"

Kurama looked vaguely surprised before beginning to chuckle. "Very true. I had forgotten about that."

"Clearly," I said. We were a block from my parents' house and getting ready to part ways. I glanced at Hiei. "Am I going to know that you're in my head?"

"Would you like me to make my presence felt?" he asked blandly, disinterest clear in every word. The fire demon wasn't even looking at me and I couldn't help feeling faintly hurt that he found the gravel of the sidewalk more appealing to look at than me.

"Do whatever the hell you feel like," I snapped. Without another word, I turned and started toward my parents' house, trying desperately to hide my nerves.

"Shyle," Kurama called after me.

I stopped but didn't turn around. "What?"

"Don't worry; it's going to go well."

"Easy for you to say," I muttered. My back still turned I gave them a quick wave and resumed my walk of doom.

I paused at the small path that led to the front steps, throwing up a quick prayer to whatever god was listening. Taking a deep breath, I strode purposefully down the path and climbed the steps. I didn't bother knocking, opting to simply try the doorknob.

The door swung open easily and I slipped inside, kicking off my sandals on the front mat. "Mom? Dad? I'm here," I called.

I'd estimate that it took them less than a second to make appearances. My mother darted into the foyer from the kitchen and my father emerged from his office.

"Shyle!"

My mother's ungodly screech hurt my ears and I replied weakly, "Hi, Mum."

I was swept up in a bone crushing hug, which I returned, though maybe not with my mother's extreme exuberance. "It's great to see you finally. I feel like it's been months."

"Yeah, sorry about that," I said sheepishly.

"Don't be, don't be," my mother answered, waving my apology away with a delicate hand. She smiled and said, "Come, Shy. Help me in the kitchen."

"Sure, just let me say hi to Dad first."

"Oh, of course, that's not a problem." Flashing another smile, she turned and headed back toward the kitchen. "I'll be waiting for you."

My attention was diverted from her retreating back when my dad clapped his hand down on my shoulder. I turned to him with a grin. "What's up, old man?"

Chuckling, he asked, "Other than the ceiling?"

I stared at him for a second. "You didn't really just say that, did you? Dad, that's dorky."

"Really? My students find it hilarious."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you sure they're laughing with you and not at you?"

"Your old man is cooler than you realize," he said with mock seriousness. My dad was a teacher at the same high school I had attended. In fact, I'd transferred to Keiko's high school because my dad worked there and I had been granted a lowered tuition fee. I had little doubt that he was aware that his jokes weren't actually funny.

"I'm afraid that, in truth, you are less cool than you realize," I joked. "You had that backwards."

"Hm, I see. You may be right."

"Oh, I assure you, I am."

"Let's go help your mother now," he said, a smile dancing about his lips. Though my mother was an emotional rollercoaster, my father tended to be even-keeled and relatively stable. He loved a good joke and I know I got my sense of humor from him.

Not to mention my utter lack of height. Standing at a measly five foot three, my dad had only three inches on me. If only I'd inherited my mother's height rather than her hair. In a rather comical role reversal, my mother stood a good seven inches taller than my father.

But personality and height were the only characteristics I shared with my dad. My brown hair most certainly hadn't come from my redheaded, bespectacled father. And hidden behind his glasses was a pair of brilliant blue eyes, not chocolate brown. No, my eyes, hair, and just about every other feature had come from my mom.

I followed as my dad trudged toward the kitchen, intentionally making it seem as if he was walking to his death. When I entered the room, I found my mother bent over the stove.

"What are you cooking, Mum?"

"Nikujaga," she answered, without diverting her attention from the pot in front of her.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Could you set the table?"

"Sure thing." As I began my task, I was amazed at how much my nerves had already died down. Being in my parents' home had relaxed me and I was beginning to trust that Kurama was right. My parents were going to accept what I told them.

My mother brought the food to the table just as I finished setting it and we each took our seats. A comfortable silence fell as we served ourselves and began to eat, but I was aware that I couldn't let it last.

Knowing it would be best to get things over with, I said, "Um, I guess I should tell you guys that I didn't ask to come to dinner just to see you guys." My mom glanced up at me, confusion showing in her eyes, but I continued speaking before she could say anything. "Look, just let me talk, okay? I won't be able to do this if you interrupt."

"Alright, the stage is yours, Shy," my dad said and I smiled at him appreciatively.

And so the explanations began. I covered every topic I could think of, explaining about the three worlds, demons, spirit detectives, and even divulging the fact that Yusuke was a half-demon. The entire time I talked I kept my gaze focused on my plate, studiously avoiding my parents' eyes. Finally, after what felt like hours of talking, I said, "So yeah, that's what I wanted to say. I understand if you don't believe me or want me to leave or something." I trailed off awkwardly, glaring hard at my plate.

For a few very long seconds, neither my mom nor my dad said anything. At last my father broke the silence. "Why wouldn't we believe you, Shy? I certainly wouldn't think you would lie about something like this."

I looked up to find him watching me, a small smile resting on his lips.

"Your father is right, Shyle. I'm undeniably intrigued by everything you had to say, but I believe every word and I most definitely don't want you to leave."

My gaze now shifted to my mother and I allowed myself a relieved smile. "Really? You guys aren't freaked out at all?"

"As I said, I'm curious, slightly amazed, but freaked? No, not really," my mother said calmly.

"Do you know how much of a relief that is?" I asked, feeling almost giddy now that they had accepted what I had to say.

"Would you two mind if we cleaned up and then transitioned this conversation to the living room?" my father asked. "I made ichigo daifuku that we can eat while Shy answers our questions."

Murmuring our agreement, my mother and I stood up and began to clear off the table, while my father prepared his dessert. When I was growing up, my mother had always cooked the dinner and my father made the dessert, it became a sort of family tradition.

Fifteen minutes later, we all took seats in the living room, our dessert plates in our laps. "Alright, what are you questions?" I asked.

"You said Yusuke is a demon?"

"A hanyou, which means he's a half-demon. So yeah, for all intents and purposes he's a demon."

"Interesting," my father murmured. "Do you know any other demons?"

"Yep, I've met a few."

"You mentioned Kuwabara, how is he involved?"

"He has extremely high sensitivity to spirit and demon energy and he is a powerful psychic."

They hit me with question after question until I was sure they couldn't ask anything else. Except there was the little fact that my mother had yet to embarrass me. When I'd told Kurama that she would ask if there was a demon boyfriend, I hadn't been kidding.

But then, just as I had predicted, my mother leaned forward in her seat and placed a hand on my knee. "Shyle, are you telling us all this because you're dating one of the young men that walked you hear?"

I blinked once and then again, unable to comprehend that she had actually just asked me that. She knew that I had come with Kurama and Hiei? "You saw me walking here?"

"You ask that as though you think I was spying on you," my mother said, disbelief clear in her voice.

"Well, what else am I to think?"

"I was sitting in the living room, thank you very much. Is it my fault that I saw you through the window?"

"Mum, I was a block away. You don't accidentally see someone that far away. It just doesn't happen."

"I beg to differ."

I sighed, but dropped the argument. "No, Mom. I'm not dating Kurama or Hiei, they simply accompanied me here." Noticing the glint in my mother's eyes, I added warningly, "Don't even suggest it. I'm not going to date one of them, so don't try."

"But, Shy –"

"No, Mom," I snapped, fully aware that Hiei would know what we were talking about. "Just no."

"Drop it, love," my dad said, smiling faintly.

"Any more questions?" I asked.

"About your revelation? No. But I am interested in what is happening in your life," my mother answered.

Our conversation shifted, changing to topics revolving about our everyday lives. We spent over an hour catching up and, when I realized that it was nearing ten o'clock, I finally stood up. "It's time for me to get going. We have a two hour train ride back to Genkai's. As it is we probably won't get home till one, so…" I trailed off letting them fill in the blanks.

"Oh, I wasn't thinking," my mom exclaimed, jumping to her feet and fussing around the room.

My father watched her with a cocked eyebrow before turning his attention to me. "Well, give me a hug. You can't leave without giving your old man a hug."

Laughing, I allowed him to swoop me up in a bear hug. "Come here, love," he said, pulling my mother into the hug as well.

"I love you guys," I murmured. Never in my life had I meant it more than I did at that moment.

"We love you too, Shy," my mom replied.

"And that's enough of that," my dad added, releasing us from his hug, feigning disgust at the prolonged show of affection. "Get out of my house, kid."

"Yes, sir," I answered, giving him a quick salute.

When I emerged from the house a few minutes later, I saw that Kurama and Hiei were waiting for me where we had parted ways and I headed towards them.

"Well?" Kurama asked as I neared them.

I smiled. "You were right."

"Hn, when isn't he?" Hiei said dryly.

* * *

AN: So what did you think of Shy's parents and their reaction?

The food eaten by the Irahetas are both Japanese. Rather than making you look up what they are, I have their descriptions for you: Nikujaga is a Japanese dish of meat, potatoes and onion stewed in sweetened soy sauce. Ichigo Daifuku are Japanese sweet cakes with strawberry and anko fillings.

So, because this chapter includes Shy's parents and they 'named' her, I figured I would explain where I got Shy's name. As some of you may have realized, Iraheta is the last name of one of Season 8 of American Idol's competitors, Allison Iraheta (she was my favorite). Shy's first name, Shyle, comes from Final Fantasy XII. It's the name of a girl who is never even shown (she's mentioned in a hunt), but I read the name and liked it so. . . yeah.

And finally, thank you to everyone who reviewed, especially those of you who are anonymous. I wish I could respond to you, but sadly I cannot. Please keep the reviews coming, they're awesome.


	12. Up Against the Wall

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

I trudged up Genkai's stairs tiredly. Kurama and Hiei were walking ahead of me. I knew that they could have both run up the stairs in a few seconds flat and were only walking in order to make sure I had company, but I didn't really care.

It was late, incredibly late, and I had every intention of going to sleep as soon as we reached the temple. Too bad it felt like we would never get to the top of the stairs. Who the hell had the idea to build never ending stairs? The idiot needed some sense knocked into him.

Shoving a hand through my hair, I glanced up the staircase, trying to see the top. "Do these stairs ever end?" I mumbled.

I hadn't meant for the guys to hear me, but they did. Cursing their demon hearing, I glared at their backs as they laughed. Smirking, Hiei glanced over his shoulder at me. "That was a ridiculous question, woman."

"Yeah, well…" I trailed off unable to come up with a comeback. "Never mind." Not only was I tired, but I was rather amazed that Hiei had showed his amusement at my question. Together the two made it almost impossible for me to think straight.

We walked for a few seconds longer before I let out an exhausted sigh. "You guys can run to the top if you want to, you don't have to wait for me."

Kurama chuckled. "Shyle, it would be ungentlemanly of us to leave you here alone."

"Hiei isn't a gentleman," I muttered.

"Excuse me, woman," Hiei snapped, stopping and turning around to glare at me.

"Just making an observation is all, no need to get offended. Don't worry, being a gentleman is boring."

Hiei continued to glare at me and I skirted his immobile form, moving past him up the stairs. Why I felt the need to pick a fight with him, I wasn't sure. What I did know was that it probably wasn't smart.

But Hiei didn't say anything else, opting to instead blow past me in a black blur. He came to a halt at the top of the stairs. Glaring at me once more, he said, "Seeing as I'm not a gentleman, I feel no need to waste my time here. Goodnight, Kurama." He turned on his heel and started toward the shrine.

"Guess I pissed him off," I sighed.

"Yes, I would say that you did," Kurama answered. "Did you think you were going to accomplish something?"

"No, not really. I'm tired, which makes me do stupid things. How long do you think he'll stay mad?"

"He probably won't," Kurama said.

"What?"

"It isn't as though you told him something he doesn't already know. In fact, I think he might have been more offended if you had told him he was a gentleman."

"So you're saying all of that was for show?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. At Kurama's nod, I added, "That's weird."

"Actually, I think you caught him off guard again, like when you asked him to stay out of your mind."

"He deals with surprise by getting angry? Someone may want to tell him that that isn't the best way of expressing himself."

"I don't think it's surprise that makes him rude to you. He simply doesn't know how to react to the things you say and do. Hiei is used to understanding those he interacts with, that he can't understand you unsettles him," Kurama explained.

We had reached the top of the stairs and started down the path to the shrine. "Why doesn't he understand me?"

"You would have to ask him. Although, how you would go about asking him I'm not sure."

I smiled faintly. I knew how to ask Hiei. Our morning conversations provided me with the perfect way.

I was surprised that Kurama didn't know about our question and answer sessions. I hadn't told Keiko because I didn't want to deal with how she would react, but I had assumed Hiei would tell Kurama. Apparently he hadn't.

We entered the shrine and I headed immediately for my bedroom. After changing quickly into my pajamas, I slipped into the bathroom. I emerged ten minutes later ready to go to bed.

I was flipping back the covers on my bed when I glanced at the clock. It was nearing one-thirty in the morning. There was no way in hell I was getting up early to go running. Sighing, I turned away from my bed and returned to the hallway.

I made my way to Hiei's door and paused before it. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. "Hiei? It's Shy. Could you open the door?"

The seconds ticked past and I began to think Kurama was wrong, Hiei was truly mad at me. I was getting ready to apologize to the fire demon when the door swung open.

Hiei stood in the open doorway, his shirt distractingly absent. "What do you want?" He spat the question at me and I realized that Kurama really had been wrong. My comment earlier had gotten under Hiei's skin.

"I just wanted to tell you that I won't be running tomorrow, so you don't have to watch out for me. I'm going to sleep in since it's so late."

"Hn." He seemed ready to close the door and I reached out, pressing my hand against the wood.

"Look, I'm sorry if what I said earlier bothered you. I'm exhausted and I didn't mean to be hurtful or whatever. I'm bitchy when I'm tired. Please don't take what I said seriously. Besides gentlemanly is boring. The whole Prince Charming bit is kind of overused." I was rambling and I knew it, but I was desperately trying to keep him from being mad at me. "Apology accepted?" I asked hopefully.

"I care very little for your opinion of me, woman."

I felt myself flinch and prayed that he hadn't noticed. "Oh, well, sure… I understand." I turned away, suddenly eager to get away from him. Since when did how he felt about me matter so much? "Goodnight, Hiei."

I didn't receive a response and a second later I heard his door click closed. Climbing into bed a few minutes later, I was glad I was tired. I wouldn't have been able to fall asleep otherwise.

* * *

I slept late, allowing myself the novelty of getting up after noon. When I finally made an appearance in the kitchen, it was to find Keiko and Yukina sitting down to eat lunch.

"Well, good morning, sleepy head," Keiko said.

Grinning, I replied, "Actually, it's afternoon."

"True."

I nodded sagely and began to prepare myself a sandwich. "Where are the guys?"

"Outside training," Yukina answered.

"Yusuke has it in his head that Mecca may be a dangerous threat, a threat that they may have difficulty beating," Keiko murmured, after chewing a bite of her own sandwich.

"There are demons that can give the four of them trouble?" I asked, shivering at the thought.

"Scary, isn't it?" Keiko shook her head and frowned. "I can't help but think they may be worrying over nothing. Mecca hasn't done a thing since he attacked you. Maybe he realized it would be stupid to attack once of us."

"I have a feeling that that is a lot of wishful thinking," I replied, taking a seat at the table. "Mecca is probably just biding his time. He'll make an appearance when we least expect it and it's going to suck ass when he does."

"You're a really positive person," Keiko observed.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "It went well with my parents, in case you were wondering."

"Yeah, Kurama said that this morning."

"They took it a lot better than I ever would have thought possible."

"I'm so impressed that you had the guts to go tell them everything," Keiko murmured, her eyes on her sandwich. "I wish I was brave enough to tell my parents everything."

"You still could, you know."

Keiko laughed humorlessly. "I'm sure Kurama told you why he didn't want to tell his mother, that he waited too long. I'm afraid that I've wasted too much time as well. Telling them now would undermine all their trust in me. My window of opportunity has long since passed."

I debated the point in arguing with her and decided to let the matter drop. It wasn't really my place to tell her to explain anything. Kurama had barely convinced me. Plus my involvement with demons was far more limited than Keiko's. I had a feeling it would be much harder for Keiko's parents to accept the truth than it was for mine.

Finishing my sandwich a few minutes later, I excused myself and headed off to take my shower.

And so began one of the most boring days of my life.

After the stressful morning and afternoon of the day before, I couldn't help but feel that the day was relatively anticlimactic. The only notable occurrence was when Yusuke and Kuwabara got in a tussle over who got the bathroom first, which all things considered isn't particularly out of the ordinary.

Despite the mundane day, or maybe because of it, I climbed into bed that night feeling like something was missing. It took hours of tossing and turning for me to realize just what it was that was absent.

My morning interactions with Hiei had become such a staple in my days that their absence was disconcerting. I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes, vowing that I would fix things with Hiei so that our conversations could continue.

* * *

I lengthened my stride, leaping a root as I ran. Adrenaline rushed through my veins, causing me to run faster than I had since cross country races in high school. No one runs practices at their race pace, but my nerves about talking to Hiei had me so pumped up on adrenaline that I was running much faster than normal.

I wasn't even sure if Hiei was going to be waiting for me at the end of my run. The idea that I may have ruined our growing friendship was freaking me out.

I hadn't meant to piss him off by saying he wasn't a gentlemen. I wouldn't have said anything if I had know how he would react. Which raised the question: why did he react the way he had?

He claimed by opinion of him didn't matter, but he was clearly bothered. I hadn't realized it was possible to hurt him. He always acted like nothing could affect him. And just like that another question had been raised. Why did my comment bother him?

Was it as simple as me underestimating his sensitivity? I didn't think so.

So it had to be something else. But what?

I turned a corner in the path and the edge of the trees came into view. Slowing my pace, I came to a halt below the tree Hiei always perched in and glance up. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw that he was sitting on the branch just like always.

Without thinking, I said, "I was scared you wouldn't be out here this morning." Immediately a blush spread across my cheeks and I turned away, moving to take a seat against the tree opposite Hiei's.

"Why wouldn't I be out here?"

"I don't know. You were mad at me before and I thought you may still be."

Hiei didn't respond and I wondered if maybe I was wrong, maybe he was still angry with me. I glanced down at my hands and twined my fingers together uneasily. Why did Hiei make me so nervous?

"Um, are you still mad?" I asked. Yet again I didn't receive a response. Deciding to let it go, I said, "It's your turn to ask questions."

"Hn."

I'd really screwed up. Hiei wasn't even going to talk to me anymore. I glanced up at him and my eyes widened.

He was watching me intently, leaning forward, his crimson eyes narrowed. "Why did you tell your mother you wouldn't date me?"

Startled, I stared at him, another blush spreading across my cheeks. I'd been expecting him to blindside me with a hard question, but that?

"I, uh, just didn't want her to start interrogating me," I mumbled. "Plus, I'm obviously not your type. There's no point in me wasting my time pining after you or something."

Holy shit, why the hell did I say that? I was struck by the sudden urge to bolt back to the shrine so that I'd never have to see Hiei again.

Hiei continued to watch me, his eyes calculating. "Are you saying you would be interested if you thought you had a chance?"

"What?" I stiffened, my hands clenching in my lap. Was he hinting that I was his type? As soon as the idea entered my mind, I banished it. Of course Hiei wasn't attracted to me. He'd never given any sign that he was and thinking that he might be would just be wishful thinking.

"It was a straightforward question."

"Yeah, I guess I would be," I murmured, staring at my hands and fighting a blush. "But I'd be interested in any guy who was interested back," I added hastily.

He leaned back against the tree trunk with a confident smirk. "Shoot," he said

If I wasn't so mortified by our conversation, I would have laughed at him. Ever since I'd explained what 'shoot' meant, he'd been using it frequently. It was cute, like he was a little kid who had learned something new.

I tried desperately to gather my thoughts and asked the first thing that came to mind. "Are you interested in me?"

He looked startled and I realized that he hadn't thought I'd be bold enough to ask him about his feelings. Come to think of it, I hadn't thought I'd be bold enough. I swallowed hard and waited for his answer.

"Hn."

When it became apparent that he wasn't going to say anything else, I allowed myself a frown. "That wasn't really an answer."

He didn't say anything in response and I sighed. What the hell did 'hn' mean? Was it a yes or a no? He was infuriating. Why couldn't he give me a straight answer?

"Are you going to ask anything else or are you done?" he asked.

Hiei appeared ready to ask another question, but I shook my head. "I'm going to ask something else, just give me a second." I glared at my hands, trying to think of something to ask. Since we were talking about relationships anyway, I settled on a question about dating. "Have you ever seriously dated anyone?"

"Dated?"

"Yeah, like having a girlfriend. I think demons call it courting," I explained.

"So you mean have I courted anyone with the intention of mating them?" he asked. I blushed, but nodded. Smirking, he continued, "Yes, I have."

"Would you tell me who? What was her name?"

"Why do you assume it was a woman? And only one at that."

My eyes widened. "You've courted men?" The idea was a strange one. I'd never realized Hiei might be gay. This whole conversation had just gotten even stranger.

"I've only dated one man with the intention of mating him. You know him."

"I know him?" I stammered, completely surprised. "Who is he?"

"Kurama," Hiei stated calmly.

"Kurama?"

"Are you going to repeat everything I say in question form?"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to." Studying my hands, I asked, "Why did you two break up? You did break up, right?"

"Yes, we courted each other at one time, but have since ended things. We decided to do so on mutual terms. We have different goals in life."

"Have you ever dated, sorry courted, a woman?"

"Two." So he was bisexual, rather than gay? Interesting development.

"Who?"

"A woman you wouldn't know named Nanami. We broke it off decades ago, over what I no longer remember." Decades ago? I always forgot just how old Hiei was.

"And the other one?"

"Lord Mukuro of Alaric."

"Mukuro?" I spluttered.

"Did I stutter?"

"No, I just didn't realize that you were involved with her."

"I no longer am," he said, a strange note in his voice, as though he was trying to assure me that he was single.

"Why did you two break up?"

"I want children. Mukuro does not."

My gaze darted from my hands to his face. He wanted children? I guess that shouldn't surprise me. He was allowed to want children, but I'd never thought of him as the family type. Would he be good with kids? Would he know how to be a good father? Would he be too strict? The idea of Hiei being a father raised so many questions.

My eyes widened when I realized why he had broken up with Kurama. "You ended things with Kurama because two men can't have children."

"Hn."

There was a long pause and I realized that he was waiting for me to ask another question. "I'm done, you can ask questions now."

He wasted no time. "Have you ever seriously dated anyone?"

I should have seen that coming, what with the way my luck had been going so far. If there was an uncomfortable question to be asked, Hiei had asked it. "With the intention of getting married? No," I grumbled, "I haven't."

"You've never dated anyone?"

"Well, I've dated guys, just not with the intention of making things permanent."

"How many guys?"

Taking a deep breath, I answered, "Three. The first two ended immediately. My last boyfriend, Hideki Okajima, broke up with me and I haven't dated since." I felt like I was talking about Hideki all the time recently. It was starting to get annoying.

"Why didn't any of them work out?"

"I don't know. Maybe guys just don't want to have a real relationship with me," I said, glaring at my hands.

"Would you be willing to…" Hiei seemed to struggle for words, "get married if the right guy came along?"

"Yeah, of course. Every girl, no matter what they say, wants to get married. It's how we're made."

"Hn." Hiei jumped down from his perch, landing easily in the grass. It seemed that he had decided we were done for the day. "Let's go in."

"Oh, uh, sure," I said. I scrambled to my feet and brushed off my butt. Walking beside him toward the shrine, I couldn't shake the feeling that our relationship had just changed somehow.

I just wished I could be sure if it was for the better or worse.

* * *

AN: Shy/Hiei interaction! What did you think of it? Hiei was acting somewhat odd. Any guesses why?

Yeah, so the chapter title kind of sucks, but it's late and I don't have time to think of a better one. I may change it at a later date.

I probably won't be able to update until next weekend. It's the last week of school and I have finals so I'm going to be pretty busy. (My AP U.S. History final is to make a history game and my group is making a really intense one. Sadly, that means it is going to take a lot of time and work.) I'll do my best to update during the week, but I make no gaurantees.

Thanks to those of you that reviewed. Can everybody else drop me a review? You'd rock if you did.


	13. Weightless

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Suck it, Shyle," Yusuke gloated, grabbing the cards he had won from the dining room table and dragging them to his side. We were playing war, which I had decided was possibly the most childish and easy card game ever invented. That Yusuke was excited over winning a hand was utterly pathetic.

"I'd rather not," I answered, flipping the top card on my deck over. He rolled his eyes, but played his next card.

"Damn," he growled, as I took my winnings.

"I can't believe you two are playing war," Kuwabara said, glancing at us from the spot on the couch.

"I can't believe Keiko is beating your ass at video games," Yusuke retorted. I decided not to voice the fact that I couldn't believe that Keiko was playing video games in the first place. I had the feeling that it would hurt Keiko's feelings.

"You know what, Urameshi?"

"Don't say that you're going to beat me up, because you and I both know that you wouldn't be able to."

Kuwabara glared at Yusuke for a long time, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of a comeback. Grinning, I said, "It's pointless to argue with Yusuke, Kuwabara. The more you argue, the ruder he'll get. I suggest just letting it go."

"I suggest focusing on our game," Keiko snapped. "If you pay attention, you will at least have a chance of winning."

"Speaking of focusing," I said, returning my gaze to Yusuke. "It would be wonderful if you would play a card, so that I can get back to beating you."

He turned over his card and smirked when he won the hand. "Suck it, Shy."

"I believe I already told you no. Just because you have a secret crush on me doesn't mean the feeling is mutual." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hiei's head jerk up. He was seated on the window seat and I had thought he was asleep, but, considering the way he was now watching me intently, I would say I was wrong.

We continued playing the next few minutes in silence. Yusuke was watching the cards intensely, leaning forward over his winnings protectively. Hiei's watchful stare was providing an unwanted distraction and I had to make a conscious effort not to look at him. Why he was staring I wasn't entirely sure, but it was making me incredibly uncomfortable.

"Are you winning yet, Shy?" Kuwabara asked.

"I have three aces, so, as of right now, yeah I'm winning," I answered. "You?"

Yusuke snorted. "Yeah right. Keiko could beat him with her eyes closed."

"Actually," Keiko said, "Kuwabara won the last round."

Yusuke's hand froze in midair and he turned his head slowly to glare at his girlfriend. "You let him win?"

"I didn't let him," Keiko defended herself. "It just happened."

"Jeeze, Keiko, way to make us the weaker couple," Yusuke snapped.

"Couple? Are you trying to suggest that Kuwabara and I are a couple? I have a feeling Yukina would have an issue with that," I said.

"You're the one that said you were trying to steal Kuwabara from Yukina." If it was even possible, Hiei's stare seemed to intensify.

Keiko sighed. "Please, tell me you're joking, Yusuke. You didn't really believe Shy, did you? She was kidding."

"Of course I knew she was kidding. I'm not an idiot."

"I beg to differ," I muttered.

"Excuse me?" Yusuke asked.

"You heard me."

"I beg to differ," he snapped, though his grin made it clear he was kidding.

I laughed. "Shut up and play a card."

"Fine!" He threw down a card and I burst out laughing when I saw that it was a two. "Damn it! This game sucks. I quit."

He scattered his cards across the table and stood up. Storming toward the bedroom hallway, he snapped over his shoulder, "I'm going to take a shower."

"Good for you," I called after him. I gathered up the cards and slid them into the box. Glancing around the room, I caught Hiei's gaze. Blushing, I turned myself forcibly away and headed for the kitchen door. "Does anyone need anything while I'm in the kitchen?"

"Nah, I'm good," Kuwabara answered.

"I'm alright, thanks," Keiko added.

I looked toward the window, only to find that Hiei had already abandoned his seat and had disappeared. Shrugging, I slipped into the kitchen and set about making myself lunch.

It was nearing noontime and so far the day had been insanely boring. After my embarrassing talk with Hiei, I had been braced for an equally humiliating day, but so far it had been shockingly uneventful. Genkai, Kurama, and Yukina had gone outside hours ago to garden and the rest of us had stayed inside, doing whatever we could to stay occupied.

I sank into a seat at the table, trying to think of a way to convince the others that we should all get out of the temple. How the hell did Yusuke expect me to last stranded out here in the middle of nowhere for much longer? I was going to go crazy with boredom.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, I stabbed my fork into my bowl of salad. If the guys could just find Mecca and kill him, this would all be over and I could go home. But at this rate it was looking more like Mecca was going to need to find us.

Hearing the kitchen door open, I glanced up and raised a surprised eyebrow when I saw that it was Hiei who had entered. He moved straight to the fridge without so much as looking at me and I felt myself frown. Despite how willing to talk he was during the morning, he always ignored me when the others were around. It was as though he didn't want anyone to think we might be friends.

Were we friends?

I looked away from him, directing my attention back to my salad. Of course we were friends. What else could we possibly be? We talked way too much to only be considered acquaintances, but he spent so much time ignoring me that I couldn't truly be sure.

The sound of a chair being pulled back cut through the silence in the room and my head jerked up. Hiei had taken a seat at the table and was watching me, a tub of ice cream set in front of him.

He opened his mouth as though he was about to say something, but he never got to speak. A loud knocking sounded on the front door and he closed his mouth immediately, glancing down at his ice cream.

I stood up, leaving behind my lunch for the time being. "I'll get it," I called, heading toward the door. I pulled the door open to reveal Botan, who was bouncing up and down excitedly.

"Hi, Shyle. It's so nice to see you again. Everyone's here, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Come on in." The invitation was unnecessary, seeing as Botan had pushed past me before I'd even finished speaking. Frowning, I followed her back into the kitchen.

"Hello, Hiei," she said, beaming at him. He stared back, but didn't greet her. Shrugging, she opened the door to the living room and left the kitchen.

"She has such a strong personality," I groaned, dropping back into my seat.

Hiei snorted and I glanced at him through my eyelashes. "I would call it annoying."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing. "That's not nice, Hiei."

"It wasn't meant to be."

Further conversation was cut off when Botan stuck her head back into the kitchen. "Sorry to interrupt, but could you two come into the living room? I want to talk to all of you."

"Sure," I answered, standing up and grabbing my salad. Hiei returned his ice cream to the freezer and followed me. I took a seat on the loveseat beside Keiko. She and Kuwabara had paused their game and were both watching Botan, waiting for her to say whatever it was she had come here for. Yusuke had returned from his shower and was sitting cross-legged on the floor. His hair, which had yet to dry, wasn't slicked back with its customary gel and strands hung forward into his eyes.

The three that had been out gardening had also come back in. Genkai had stated that she wasn't interested in whatever we would be discussing and had disappeared into the kitchen, but Kurama and Yukina had both taken seats.

Botan waited until Hiei had taken a seat in the empty armchair before beginning to speak. "I'm partially here for business purposes," she said, taking a seat on the couch. "Yusuke, you had asked Koenma to look into Mecca's background and his aides were finally able to locate Mecca's records."

"It's about freaking time," Yusuke muttered.

Chuckling, Kurama said, "Actually, Botan, we've been able to find out a few things on our own, which is no doubt why Yusuke is frustrated."

"Don't speak for me, fox boy!"

Kurama shook his head at the hanyou and returned his attention to Botan. He quickly outlined the small amount of information about Mecca we currently had, explaining that he led a pride of raions and a slave trafficking ring. Kurama also mentioned what we knew of Mecca's physical abilities and ended with our lingering questions about whether or not the raion had a superior.

Smiling brightly, Botan said, "Well, that certainly cuts down on what I have to tell you all, but don't worry, Koenma did discover a few other things."

"Such as?" Yusuke asked when it became apparent that Botan was not going to continue on her own.

"Well, for one thing, we know for sure that Mecca is working for someone. He was a mercenary years ago, which was what first got him in trouble with Reikai officials. In the years since, he has faded into relative obscurity and other than his trafficking ring has done nothing illegal. Obviously, breaching security protocol and coming to the Ningenkai without permission has changed that."

"Why does being an ex-mercenary mean that he has a commander?"

"Considering how little trouble he has caused recently, it seems unlikely that he would have changed his behavior without proper motivation. I'm sure you would agree that money and power, which are in all likelihood what he is being offered, are great motivators," Botan said.

No one made any move to protest and she took that as a sign to continue. "Unfortunately we don't know who it is that is employing Mecca's services, but Koenma wanted me to tell you that he is continuing to look into it. He hopes to discover who it is in the next few days.

"Koenma was also able to learn who Mecca's second in command is. She's a female raion by the name of Disma. Her powers are extensive and troublesome. She possesses the same strength and agility of all female raions with the addition of powerful energy reserves. She is able to manipulate matter and space, which allows her to create portals and wield a wide range of attacks."

"The last bit of information we have is about Mecca's current whereabouts. He has returned to the main camp of his slave ring, but he has shut down all of the ring's current operations. Again, we aren't entirely sure of his motives, but we have every intention of finding out what they are."

"Any questions?" she asked. When no one spoke up right away, she clapped her hands together. "Good, now we can get down to why I'm really here." She leaned forward in her seat, excitement showing clearly on her face. "What would you all say to a trip into the city?"

I straightened instantaneously, thrilled at the suggestion. Botan saw me and giggled. "I take it you're in, Shy?"

"Heck yeah, I am. I'm going crazy sitting around here all day."

"Anybody else?" Botan asked the group. Everyone, even Hiei, answered that they would be willing to go. "Wonderful," Botan said. "I was thinking that we could go in for dinner and then stay the night at one of your apartments."

The planning began without ado, though the guys each made excuses and left the living room, leaving us girls to plan out the evening. In the end, it was agreed that we would go to a restaurant near my apartment that Keiko and I both agreed was very good and then the group of us would stay at my place.

Botan stood up, grinning enthusiastically. "I'll go find the guys and tell them that we're leaving at three."

"Remind them to pack things for the night," Keiko instructed.

"Of course," Botan answered, disappearing down the hallway to the bedrooms.

* * *

I plopped into the seat beside Keiko and watched as the rest of our group settled in. Yusuke shoved the bag containing his and Keiko's belongings into the overhead carrier and sat down beside Kuwabara, who had done the same with his and Yukina's bag only seconds earlier. Kurama and Hiei joined the two young men in their booth after each putting their bags in the overhead carrier.

Our group had monopolized two whole booths on the train, the girls in one booth and the guys seated across the aisle in the other.

I nudged Keiko in the side with my elbow and muttered, "You know I like the window seat. Why did you stick me with the aisle?"

"Because I boarded the train first, Shy," Keiko answered.

"Jeeze, it's Kurama stealing my parking spot all over again." I sank down in my seat and crossed my arms over my chest, pretending to be angry.

"Sit up," Keiko said, laughing slightly. "You'll wrinkle your shirt slouching like that."

Rolling my eyes, I sat up straight and tapped my fingers impatiently on our booth's table. I wanted the train to get moving, the sooner we got to the city, the better.

The restaurant we had decided on was somewhat fancy and we had all dressed nicely. Keiko and I had coerced all the guys into wearing decent clothing, but it had taken far more nagging than I would have liked and now we were running late. As for myself, Keiko had convinced me to put some actual effort into getting ready, reminding me of the handsome waiter who had served us the last time we ate at the restaurant.

My hair was always wavy and with a little work I'd been able to get it to tumble around my shoulders in loose curls. I'd stayed away from makeup for the most part, only using a little eyeliner and mascara. If a guy didn't like me without makeup, he certainly wouldn't like me after a run or when I had just woken up. I'd donned a skirt and blouse for the night, and Yusuke had commented as soon as he saw me, just as he had the night I went to my parents.

I'd told him he was an ass.

"Shy, are you still with us?" Yusuke had leaned across the aisle and was waving his hand in front of my face obnoxiously.

"Yes, now knock it off," I snapped, slapping his hand away from me.

He cradled it to his chest dramatically and glared at me. "We were just trying to figure out the best way to get to the restaurant, but you weren't paying attention."

Sighing, I apologized to the group. "I zoned out."

"Don't worry about it," Kuwabara said, punching Yusuke on the arm. "Urameshi is just being childish."

"What did you just call me?" Yusuke demanded.

"Childish."

Before Yusuke could respond, Keiko reached across me and whacked Yusuke on the head. "Enough, both of you."

There was a momentary silence and I finally asked, "Well, how are we getting to the restaurant?"

"Three of our four cars are at the ramen shop, so I think it would be wisest to head there," Kurama answered. "We can take two cars to the restaurant and then park at your apartment for the night. In the morning we can return them to the diner and take the train back to Genkai's."

"That makes sense," Keiko said. "The train station is close to the diner, so that will make things easy."

"What will the two groups be?" I asked.

"Botan, you're getting some clothes that you left at Keiko's, right?"

"Yeah, I need them for tonight."

"Alright, so why don't you go with Yusuke and Keiko. The rest of us will take Kuwabara's car and head straight to the restaurant. That way we can hopefully get a table by the time you guys arrive," Kurama said.

"Sounds good," Kuwabara responded.

* * *

I glared at my hands and fought a blush as Hiei slid into the seat beside me, closing the car door behind him. It had only made sense that Yukina would ride in the front passenger seat, but I still wasn't thrilled about sitting in the middle of the backseat. Especially considering how little room there was for three people.

Hiei's leg touched mine and I was painfully aware of his increased body heat. Why the hell did he have to be a fire demon?

My arm brushed against Kurama's, but it didn't bother me the way touching Hiei did. I shifted uncomfortably and prayed that this ride would be a quick one.

Was Hiei as on edge as I was? I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. He was looking out the window, his body turned away from me slightly, and it seemed like he wasn't even aware of my presence.

Yukina was seated quietly in the front and we were only waiting for Kuwabara, who was locked in an argument with Yusuke. Why couldn't he stop bickering and get in the freaking car? At last, he turned his back on Yusuke and headed for the car. Climbing into his seat, Kuwabara glanced back at us, "You guys comfy?"

I didn't answer him, choosing to express my discomfort without words. Sadly, I'm not sure he understood the glare I was sending him. Confusion clear on his face, he turned around and started the car. As he backed out of his spot, he reached over and opened the glove compartment, pulling out a stack of CD cases.

He shoved them back at me. "Pick one."

I accepted them eagerly, glad for the distraction. I knew which CDs he had, as I should seeing as I'd given him most of them, which made it easy to find the one I was looking for. I opened the case and passed the disc up to Kuwabara.

He slid it in and hit play. "Nice choice."

"I try," I said, grinning. I leaned forward in my seat. "There's a slight problem."

Stopping at a red light, he twisted around in his seat to look at me. "What?"

"I can hear myself think," I answered.

"Ah, good point." Turning back around, he turned the volume up considerably.

Hiei stiffened beside me. I glanced at him to find that he had turned away from the window and was glaring at the speakers. I nudged him with my elbow. "This is a good song," I informed him.

"Hn, I doubt it."

Shrugging, I sank back into my seat. "Whatever you say."

* * *

AN: I apologize if you don't know how to play war. I tried to pick the easiest card game I could think of.

So, this chapter was kind of a filler chapter, but the next one should be interesting.

I vision the song playing at the end to be "Weightless" by All Time Low. That being said, that is not the only reason I titled the chapter Weightless. I've decided to explain all the chapter titles in the last chapter, which is still really far away. So if you want to understand the reasons behind each chapter name, you will have to wait till then.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Reviews make my day.

Miss-Dreev: Shyle has been at Genkai's roughly a week and a half. Shy has been running since high school, which is why it may feel like it has been going on for a lot longer. She is referring to experiences she's had for many years. Anyway, thanks for reviewing; your reviews are always awesome.


	14. I Must Be Dreaming

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"You, my friend, drive like a grandma," I said, leaning forward to give Kuwabara a disapproving look. "We're supposed to get there before Yusuke, Keiko, and Botan, not an hour after them."

"I would appreciate it if you would stop being a backseat driver."

Rolling my eyes, I sat back and crossed my arms over my chest. "You could still drive faster."

"I'm already going over the speed limit, Shy."

Frowning, I leaned forward and checked what speed we were going. Damn, he wasn't lying; we already were over the speed limit.

Then why the hell did it feel like we were crawling?

Hiei shifted in his seat, moving so that his leg pressed more firmly against my own. Oh right, that's why this ride felt so freaking long. I swallowed hard, but forced myself not to move even farther toward Kurama. I'd already moved so far toward him that I was practically sitting in his lap, if I budged over any farther it would be painfully obvious that I was trying to keep away from Hiei.

"I can see the restaurant," Yukina said, speaking so softly I almost couldn't hear her over the music.

"Happy now, Shy? Despite me driving like a so-called grandma, we are here way before Urameshi," Kuwabara snapped, pulling into the parking lot. "It would be nice if you would apologize."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I muttered.

"That is not an apology."

"I am so sorry that I hurt your poor little feelings."

"That wasn't very sincere," Kurama observed, opening his door once Kuwabara had parked the car.

"That's too bad, because it's all he is getting." I quickly slid out of the car behind Kurama, glad to finally get away from Hiei. Waiting impatiently for the others, I rocked back and forth on my heels and stared at the restaurant.

Kuwabara walked past me, his arm wrapped around Yukina's shoulders. "Come on, Shy. We have to go inside the place in order to eat, remember?"

"Shut it," I said, grinning as I moved to walk beside him. I heard Hiei and Kurama fall in step behind us and I nudged Kuwabara in the side. "Same rules as always, right?"

"We can do that in this place?" he asked, pushing the door open.

"Keiko won't like it, but heck yeah we can."

"Would you mind if I asked what you two are talking about?" Kurama inquired.

"Hold on, I need to put our name in and then we'll explain." I stepped up to the maitre'd and smiled at the woman.

She returned the smile and picked up her pen. "How many?"

"Eight, please."

"Name?"

"Iraheta."

"Alright," she said, scribbling down the information. "It will be about a fifteen minute wait."

"Okay, thanks." I turned back to my friends, who had taken seats in the waiting area. Sinking into a seat next to Yukina, I looked at Kurama. "So, we were talking about a game we always play at restaurants."

"Yeah," Kuwabara added. "It's like a tradition. We've done it since we were in high school."

"Just what exactly does this game entail?"

"Basically, the goal is to get the most paper balls in Yusuke's drink." Kurama raised an amused eyebrow. Laughing, I continued, "Is it childish? Yeah, pretty much. But is it fun enough to make it worth it? Hell yeah."

"And all you have to do is throw things in Yusuke's drink?" Kurama asked.

"Yup."

"It's easy at first, but hard once Urameshi realizes we're playing and starts to defend his cup," Kuwabara said, grinning eagerly. He glanced at me. "Winner gets the couch?"

"I'll give you the couch anyway, but sure," I answered, reaching out to shake his hand and make the bet official.

"Why would you give me the couch anyway?"

"Because I'd be a horrible hostess if I took the couch. Plus, you and Yukina can sleep on the couch since it pulls out," I answered with a casual shrug. "Not to mention the fact that you practically own the couch anyway. I'm pretty sure you've left a permanent body impression."

"Still, it kind of kills the point of the bet, you know?"

"But it doesn't make annoying Yusuke any less enjoyable."

"True," Kuwabara said, laughing.

The maitre'd looked up from her book, turning her eyes toward our little group. "Iraheta, your table is ready."

I stood up, motioning for the others to do the same, and followed the woman as she headed into the dining area. She led us to a table in the back corner. Actually, I should say two tables. It seemed that they had pushed some tables together in order to create one massive table large enough for the eight of us.

We each took seats, leaving three at the end empty. Somehow I ended up next to Hiei and I cursed silently, preparing myself for a potentially awkward dinner. Kuwabara and I were across from each other and Yukina sat opposite Hiei. Kurama sat at one of the heads of the table and the other was left empty for Yusuke. The final two seats were left for Botan and Keiko.

I grinned at Kuwabara. "This works out nicely. There is one seat between each of us and the victim."

He grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Now all we need are some napkins or straw wrappers."

"No napkin shredding, straw wrappers only, agreed?"

"Sure, whatever you say," Kuwabara said, leaning back in his chair contentedly. "Urameshi's here." I twisted around in my seat to see Yusuke talking to the maitre'd, his eyes scanning the room for us.

I raised my hand and gave him a quick wave. He grinned and waved back, moving away from the maitre'd and coming toward us, the girls behind him. Keiko took a seat beside me and sighed. "Sorry we're late; Botan took forever finding her things."

"Well, I'm sorry you guys don't invite me over more often. If I was around more, I would know your apartment better," Botan defended herself, picking up her menu.

Further debate was prevented by the arrival of our waiter. Keiko and I saw him at the same time and immediately looked at one another.

"Damn," Keiko muttered.

"Hot damn," I replied.

I could have sworn I heard Hiei growl beside me. I glanced at him, but he was looking at Kurama, apparently deep in conversation. Frowning, I turned my attention back to our waiter. It wasn't the same guy as last time. No this guy was far, far more attractive.

"What would you all like to drink?" he asked, smiling easily. Drink orders moved around the table, starting with Keiko and ending with me.

Leaning forward in my seat, I returned his smile. "Just water, thanks." I never drank alcohol, despite being over the legal drinking age. It gave me major headaches and I simply didn't find it worth it.

"Sure thing," he answered, his smile widening. "The names Daisuke and if you need anything, just ask."

"Speaking of anything, could we have some straws," Kuwabara asked.

Daisuke raised an eyebrow. "Uh, sure." He tossed half a dozen straws on the table and turned away, heading toward another table.

"Way to make him think we're strange," I said, laughing.

"What's with the straws?" Yusuke asked, suspicion clear in his voice.

"Nothing, Urameshi. Why would you ask that?"

"Shove it with the innocent act," Yusuke snapped. "Mess with my drink and I'm going to beat you good."

Keiko sighed. "Guys, not in this restaurant please. The last thing we need is to be banned."

"Take a breather, mom," I said, grinning at Keiko. "We'll make sure to keep things clean. Everything we throw will end up in Yusuke's drink, where it will be easy to dispose of."

"Not if your accuracy is anything like it was with popcorn," Yusuke growled, glaring at me.

"Careful, Urameshi, your demon is showing."

I snorted and raised a hand to Kuwabara, who slapped me a high five. "Nice, my friend, very nice."

* * *

The ride home from dinner was far less awkward than the ride to dinner. Because both cars were leaving at the same time and headed to the same place, we split into two groups of four, which meant that Kurama went in Yusuke's car rather than Kuwabara's. Kurama's absence meant that I didn't need to sit directly beside Hiei and was instead able to ride in the seat previously occupied by Kurama. Needless to say, I could breathe easier without the fire demon's leg pressed against mine.

Dinner itself had been interesting. I won the bet between myself and Kuwabara, which seemed to mean that I was better with paper than popcorn. Keiko insisted all of dinner that our waiter had a thing for me, but I wasn't so sure. Yeah, he smiled at me a lot, but that didn't prove anything.

However more importantly than the waiter that I probably would never see again, was Hiei and the growling I could have sworn I heard every time Daisuke made an appearance. It wasn't loud and I don't think anyone else even noticed it, but it definitely happened and I wasn't entirely sure why.

Kuwabara pulled into the parking lot of my apartment building and took the spot beside my car. While we were getting out of Kuwabara's car, Yusuke parked his own one spot over. I raised an eyebrow when he popped his trunk before shutting the car off. When he opened his door, I asked, "Do you need something from the trunk?"

"Remember last time we slept over?" Keiko asked. "You only had four pillows and Kuwabara ended up using a couch pillow for the night. I thought ahead this time and we grabbed four pillows from the ramen shop so that everyone would have one."

"Good thinking," I said.

Yusuke grinned. "Yeah, we're awesome like that."

I waited while the guys grabbed the pillows and bags, staring at my building excitedly. When everyone was finally ready, I started for the doors, the others following behind me.

I pushed the front door open and headed for the stairs. "Whoa, Shy. We are so not taking the stairs at almost eleven at night," Yusuke said, clapping a hand down on my shoulder and turning me toward the elevator.

I shook my head. "You take the elevator. I haven't taken it since the day I moved my stuff in and I don't plan to start now." Grinning at him, I pulled free of his grip and started toward the stairs. "I'll beat you to my room," I called over my shoulder before opening the door to the stairwell.

It felt so good to be home that I practically ran up the stairs. Slipping out of the stairwell on the third floor, I paused for a second in the hallway. "Home sweet home," I whispered. "At least for tonight."

Moving toward my door, I fished my keys out of my pocket. Carrying them around all night had been thrilling, exciting because if meant I was going home. I unlocked my door just as I heard the elevator open. My friends piled out in a loud, bickering group and I turned to smile at them.

"What has you guys all riled up?"

"Urameshi claims the couch is his and Keiko's," Kuwabara snapped, shooting a glare at his best friend.

"Sorry, Yusuke," I said. "I already promised the couch to Kuwabara and Yukina."

"Told you, Urameshi," Kuwabara gloated.

I laughed, though it wasn't entirely because of my friends. I was simply happy to be home, happy to have things be normal. Turning my back on the others, I moved into my apartment. "I apologize that it's so small. We probably should have stayed at the ramen shop, there's more room there."

"We'll be fine," Keiko reassured me, joining me in the living room.

"Leave your shoes near the door. Drop your bags wherever, we can move them to my room before we go to bed," I instructed. "For now, I am going to change and savor the fact that I'm finally home."

Yusuke laughed. "You'd think you were homesick," he joked.

I ignored him and headed straight for my room. Pushing my door open, I made a beeline for my bed and threw myself down on it, hugging a pillow to my chest. I lay still for a few seconds, allowing myself to pretend I didn't have to go back to Genkai's in the morning.

Sighing, I finally pushed myself into a sitting position and studied my room, making sure everything was as I remembered it. I stood up and moved to my dresser, quickly fishing out a pair of shorts and a tank top to sleep in. I was just tugging off my shirt when I heard footsteps in the hall outside my room. Jerking my shirt back down, I bolted to the open door and reached out to close it.

I paused, my hand on the door knob, when I saw that the intruder was Hiei. "Yusuke's woman said the bathroom was this way," Hiei said, peering past me into my room.

I shifted self-consciously, trying to block as much of my room from view as possible. "Uh, yeah, it is. It's that door right there," I replied, pointing at the door behind him.

"Hn." He turned his back on me and slipped into the bathroom, tossing his bag down on the floor as he closed the door.

I closed my door harder than I'd meant to, but I couldn't help it, not with the way my heart was pounding. I'd already flashed Hiei once; I didn't need to do it again. I forced myself to take a deep breath and began to undress for the second time, pulling my shirt off and unclipping my bra. I pulled on the tank top and exchanged my skirt for the pair of running shorts I would be wearing to bed.

I opened my door to call to one of my friends in the living room, but ended up coming face to face with Hiei, who had just emerged from the bathroom. He raised an eyebrow at me and I struggled for words. Why did he get to me so damn much? "Um, could you help me bring some stuff to sleep on into the living room?"

He nodded and I turned, heading toward my closet. I pulled open the door and quickly dragged out a few comforters and sheets, tossing them to Hiei who had followed me into my room. "Bring as much as you can out to the living room, okay?"

"Hn."

When I turned back around he was already gone. I yanked the comforter off of my bed, and added it to the pile in the middle of my floor. Hiei returned and grabbed another armful of bedding. I fished two sleeping bags out from under my bed and kicked them out into the hallway, snatching two of my four pillows as I went.

Turning into the hallway, I almost ran into Hiei. "Sorry," I murmured. "If you could take the remaining two pillows and anything that's left on the floor, that would be awesome."

He didn't respond and I moved past him toward the living room, kicking the two sleeping bags as I went. Once I had deposited my load, I returned to my room, passing Hiei again. I checked to make sure nothing was left on the floor and then ducked into the bathroom. Opening the closet door, I tugged another comforter off the top shelf. Finally, I pulled my inflatable mattress off the floor and kicked the closet door closed. I headed back to the living room, barely managing to carry both the comforter and air mattress.

Kuwabara and Yukina were in the process of pulling out the couch and making it into a bed. Yusuke and Keiko had also begun making a bed, thought theirs was on the floor, and it seemed that Kurama and Botan had each laid claim to a sleeping bag.

I swallowed hard when I realized what was left to make beds out of: the air mattress, a comforter, and a few sheets. In other words, one bed for two people. I didn't look at Hiei as I grabbed the inflatable mattress and started yanking it out its bag.

"Want help, woman?" Hiei asked.

I continued to avoid looking at him, but nodded my thanks, extending the bag to him and pulling on the folded up mattress. When it finally came free, I moved toward the wall and unfolded it, spreading the mattress across the floor. "Could you get me the air pump from the bag?" I asked Hiei.

"Hn," he answered. A second later I was forced to look up when he offered me the pump.

"Thanks," I said, attaching it to the mattress and turning it on. Rocking back on my heels, I watched as the mattress began to inflate. "So, uh, do you like sleeping on the left or right?" I asked, glancing up at him.

"Left." Alright, so that put him closer to the wall, which was fine with me. I nodded and disconnected the pump.

"Help put a sheet on, please?" I didn't get a response and I frowned, looking up to find him watching me intently. "Hiei? Are you alright?"

"Yes," he said curtly, reaching out to grab a sheet and tossing one end to me. Unsure how to respond, I remained silent and set to work tucking the sheet in on my side. Once we were done, I tossed two pillows on the head of the mattress and spread my comforter across the top of the bed.

I glanced around the room and saw that everyone was done getting their beds ready. "Okay," I said, "now what?"

"You have any movies?" Yusuke asked. "Oh wait, why would I bother asking?" Laughing at his own joke, he jumped up from his seat and headed for my entertainment center. Riffling through the drawers, he finally found my movies. "Action or comedy?"

"Action," Kuwabara and I answered at the same time.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hiei tug his shirt off and slip under the covers of our bed. I tore my eyes away, forcing myself to focus on what everyone else was doing. It shouldn't have surprised me that he would sleep shirtless. The night I had talked to my parents he had been shirtless right before going to bed. I guess I had just thought he would keep his shirt on since we were sharing a bed.

Yusuke scanned the movies and selected one, turning the television on and putting in the movie. "Sit back and enjoy the show," he said, smirking confidently as he dropped back down beside Keiko.

The movie was good, but I was too preoccupied with Hiei's presence to really pay attention. How the hell was I supposed to sleep with him beside me? When the movie ended, Keiko immediately took control, insisting that we should all go to bed before it got any later.

I lay awake long after the others had fallen asleep. I could hear Hiei's steady breathing beside me and the heat radiating off his body was incredibly distracting. At last, I rolled onto my side and took a deep breath, willing myself to fall asleep.

* * *

I wasn't completely sure what woke me up, but I wanted it to go away. Groaning, I shifted slightly and then rolled over, cuddling up to the heat beside me.

And then, just like that, I remembered what the source of the warmth was. Trying to keep from waking him, I attempted to move away from Hiei, but realized that something was holding me in place. I froze and, taking a deep breath, opened my eyes to see that Hiei's arm was wrapped around my waist, holding me firmly in place.

I squirmed, giving up on trying to get away without waking him. Struggling against his grip, I reached up and pressed my hands against his chest. Even pushing as hard as I could, I was unable to move away from him.

"Damn it," I muttered. Curling my hands around his shoulders, I shook him slightly. "Hiei, wake up." When he didn't respond at all, I shook him harder. "Hiei!"

He opened one eye, peering down at me. "What? I'm trying to sleep."

I swallowed hard, feeling a blush spread across my cheeks. He was awake? Then why wasn't he letting me go? "Um, Hiei," I stuttered, motioning toward where his arm rested on my side.

He opened his other eye and studied his arm for a few seconds before looking back at me. "Yes? What is your point?"

"I can't move," I managed to say.

His eyes narrowed faintly, but he released me. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, and pushed myself into a sitting position. "I'm going to go shower before we head back to Genkai's. If the others wake up, tell them they can eat anything they can find."

I scrambled off the mattress and bolted out of the room, eager to get away from Hiei and his confusing behavior. What the hell had just happened?

* * *

AN: There was originally going to be a whole lot more to this chapter, but it would have required at least another thousand words and that would have made this chapter way longer than any of the others. So now you guys just get to wait for some more Shy/Hiei action. I hope it's worth the wait.

I've named yet another character after a player on my favorite major league baseball team. Anybody know what team I'm talking about? The names are Hideki Okajima and Daisuke, if that helps.

I'm officially on summer vacation (my school year ended last Friday), but sadly I can't promise faster updates. I'm afraid I'm going to be really busy. I'm voluteering at my high school's track camp two out of the next three weeks and I'm in the process of looking for a job, so yeah... I'll do what I can. As it is, I'm proud I got this chapter out as soon as I did. I gave myself a day off on Friday to celebrate the end of school and I was with my friends all of Saturday at an amusement park. So this chapter was written yesterday, which was Father's Day, and today, when I spent half the day at track camp.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed, as always you guys rock!


	15. Kill Me in a Record Shop

Disclaimer: I don'y own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"You sure you want to come?" I asked, glancing up at Kuwabara. "I'm running seven miles today."

He hesitated looking first at me and then at his sneakers. "Seven miles? I'd, uh, rather not. Are you going to run three tomorrow?"

"Yep," I answered, returning my attention to tying my sneakers. The truth was I had been planning to run three miles, but my plans had changed when I entered the kitchen and found that Genkai had company.

Kuwabara had gotten up early with the intention of going with me on my run. While normally I would have loved his company, this morning I definitely didn't want him tagging along. I had a feeling that Kuwabara's presence would prevent Hiei from even making an appearance, let alone actually talking to me. I had questions for the fire demon and I wanted answers, answers I wouldn't get if Kuwabara was around.

So I'd changed my plans. As soon as Kuwabara asked if he could run with me, I asked Genkai about the loop I'd run the first day. Whether she knew what I was doing or not, Genkai gave me directions and fell silent, not bothering to add that the run was seven miles. When I finally got around to telling Kuwabara how long the run was, he seemed hesitant, as though he was considering backing out and waiting for a day when I ran a shorter loop.

Still, he'd come out with me to the front door and I'd been beginning to worry that I hadn't scared him away, but it at last seemed as though my tactics had been successful. "I think I'll wait until tomorrow then. I mean I don't do much running so seven miles is kind of a lot and–"

I held up a hand, interrupting his rambling. "That's fine, don't worry about it. I've been running alone for years, one more day won't kill me."

"Alright, if you're sure," Kuwabara said.

"Trust me," I whispered, "I am." Standing up when I'd finished tying my shoelaces, I grinned at Kuwabara. "See you when I get back."

"Okay. Have fun."

"Will do," I called, closing the door behind me as I headed outside. Breathing a sigh of relief that Kuwabara wasn't coming, I took off at an easy jog, heading for the path Genkai had described.

Our return to the shrine from the city had been extremely boring. I'd fallen asleep on the train, which wasn't very surprising considering how little sleep I got while sharing a bed with Hiei. The rest of the day had dragged by, no doubt because I had just wanted the day to end so that I could see Hiei the next morning.

I smiled faintly at the thought of the fire demon, resisting the urge to speed up. I had far too many miles ahead of me to start sprinting now.

The run seemed to last forever and I cursed Kuwabara for his bad timing. The big lug had to go and be a good friend one of the few times I didn't want him around. If it weren't for his offer to run with me, I'd only have had to three miles instead of seven. Finally, I reached the edge of the trees and I slowed down so that I was walking.

"Hi," I called, looking up in the trees, trying to spot Hiei. Frowning, I stopped walking. I couldn't see him anywhere. "Are you here?"

"I'm right here, woman." My eyes snapped down to ground level to find him watching me, leaning back against a tree. Smirking, he raised an eyebrow at me. "That was rather pathetic."

"You're rather pathetic," I muttered childishly, turning my back on him. Allowing myself a tired groan, I twisted back around to face him and crossed my arms over my chest. "It's my turn for questions."

"Hn, then go ahead and ask some," he said.

"Why do you want children?" His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed, but he made no move to answer or even acknowledge my question. "You have to answer, Hiei, or I won't answer anything you ask."

"I didn't have parents growing up. Since meeting Yusuke and the others I've seen what families are like. I want that." He glared at me, daring me to laugh at his answer.

When all I did was smile, his eyes narrowed further. "That's sweet," I said truthfully. "Have you given any thought to names or what gender you'd want?"

"Why does it matter?"

"I'm just interested, that's all," I answered, shrugging. "I didn't take you for the family man type, so learning that you wanted kids was kind of surprising."

"I haven't."

"Haven't?"

"Given any thought to either of those things. It makes no sense to do so without a mate. It would be nothing more than a senseless waste of time."

"Spoken like a true man," I joked. "Hmm, so that's enough baby talk."

"Is it my turn?"

"I'm afraid not, firefly," I said.

"Firefly?"

"That was a question, which you aren't supposed to be asking right now, but yes, I did say firefly. You like it? That's what I'm going to call you know. You call me woman, I call you firefly. Pet names are awesome, huh?"

"No, they aren't," he answered, eyeing me with the intent to murder.

Grinning, I said, "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. Now, on to my next question. Why haven't you told anyone about these conversations we have? I would have thought that you'd tell at least Kurama."

"They weren't, and aren't, anyone else's business. What I do with my time is no one's concern but my own." Short and to the point, but then I didn't ask for a longwinded answer.

Knowing I was being annoying, I asked, "Isn't it my concern too, at least in this case, seeing as I'm part of the conversations?"

"Being a smartass isn't attractive."

"Excuse me?" I asked, completely caught off guard. Since when did it matter if I was attractive?

"Was I unclear?"

"No, I just don't understand where the hell that little tidbit came from. I mean seriously, thanks for the fun fact, but how is it any of your concern?"

"Is that a question you want me to answer?" Something about the way he asked that question made me think it was a loaded inquiry, like the answer wasn't going to be pleasant.

"No, you don't have to," I answered. "Go ahead and ask whatever you want, it's your turn."

"Why haven't you told anyone about these conversations we have? I would have thought that you'd tell at least Keiko."

"You're freaking hilarious," I snapped. I should have known that question was going to come back and bite me in the butt. Even so, I would never have guessed that Hiei would ask me the same question exactly as I asked it. Smiling grimly, I said, "Being a smartass isn't attractive."

"Wise words."

I couldn't help but laugh. "That was incredibly cocky," I informed him.

"Answer the question," he instructed.

"If I told Keiko, she would make assumptions," I replied, trying to keep my response as brief as possible. Giving any more information than necessary would mean revealing that Keiko thought I should date Hiei. Just the idea of telling him that made me shudder.

"Assumptions? Care to expand on that?" He was evil, pure freaking evil. An evil, evil, evil firefly!

"She'd think there was something between us, something more than being friends." Was that sufficient to answer his question? I wasn't sure I'd be able to get any more detailed than that.

He looked like he wanted to ask a question, I could have sworn one was on the tip of his tongue, but instead he closed his eyes and said, "Your turn."

Frowning, I studied him. That was very strange behavior even for him, the epitome of strange behavior. "Okay, let's see. What should I ask you now?" I quickly ran through the endless list of questions that I had for him before finally settling on one. "You're Mukuro's heir, so why aren't you in the Makai? You've been here for over two weeks. Doesn't Mukuro require you to go home?"

"When I first met you, I was taking a brief vacation. Since then, I have requested an indefinite leave from my duties."

"Why?"

"Personal reasons. There are things in the Ningenkai that I am interested in pursuing and I can not do so from Alaric." The way he was watching me made me swallow hard. It almost seemed like he was saying that I was the thing he was interested in pursuing.

But that couldn't possibly be true.

"Oh." It was all I could manage, the only thing I could get out of my suddenly dry mouth.

He waited, watching me in silence. After what felt like ages, he asked, "Are you done?"

"Uh, yeah."

He smirked, but didn't say anything. Instead he moved toward me, pushing away from the tree he was leaning on. I felt frozen, unable to move away, despite how much I wanted to escape. He stopped inches from me, so close that I could feel his breath fan across my face.

"Does this make us more than friends?"

His lips were pressed to mine before I had even managed to process his question. The kiss was nothing like I would have expected a kiss with Hiei to be. It was soft, sweet, everything Hiei wasn't. He wasn't demanding in any way, in fact, I doubted he would resist if I tried to pull away.

Not that it would have mattered. As soon as his lips touched mine, every thought left me and the only thing I knew was that I never wanted whatever was happening to end.

I leaned into him, reaching up to grip his shoulders. He wrapped one of his arms around my waist, placing his other hand on my neck gently.

The kiss felt both endless and far too short. When Hiei finally pulled away, I was out of breath and entirely unsure what to think.

He was watching me, his forehead pressed to mine, and it took me ages to realize that he was waiting for me to answer his question. What had he asked me? Something about being friends…

Pulling myself out of my revere, I finally said, "Um, yeah. Yeah, I think it does."

He leaned forward once more, clearly ready to resume our kiss, but I pressed a hand to his chest, preventing him from doing so. "Hiei, wait. You have to explain what's going on first. Where did this come from?"

"I would think that's obvious enough."

"I disagree," I said, frowning. "You barely pay attention to me when the others are around. I'm sorry, but that isn't very conducive to relationships. I don't mind keeping our question and answer sessions a secret, but if we were dating, I would have to tell Keiko. I could never keep something like that from her. I guess my point is that I won't date you in secret. If you're not okay with that, then I'm sorry, but I won't do this."

He pulled back suddenly, releasing me from his grip. Without saying a word, he turned and started to walk away.

"Whoa, Hiei," I started, reaching out to grab his wrist. "You can't just walk away."

"You can't dictate how our relationship works."

"But you can," I demanded. "Damn it, Hiei. That's ridiculous."

"Having a relationship with me entails far more than you seem to realize. Keeping us a secret would be for none of the reasons that you are thinking."

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" I snapped, angry because he was speaking to me as though I was a child. Aiming to hurt his pride, I asked, "Are you reading my mind? I didn't think you were the type to go back on your word."

He glared at me, hurt flickering in his eyes, and jerked his arm free of my grip. "Hn, this didn't happen," he snarled. He stalked away from me, heading toward the shrine without another word.

I took a deep breath, watching him disappear into the shrine. How had that gone from kissing to arguing so freaking fast? One second we were kissing, the next I'd pissed him off so bad that he wouldn't even talk to me.

I shoved a hand through my hair and grimaced. Sweat had dried in my hair, giving it an almost crunchy texture. I shook my head at my own idiocy; I'd managed to piss off the only guy who I'd ever met that found a sweaty girl attractive. Pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes, I fought back tears and sucked in another breath, reminding myself that I needed oxygen to live.

This freaking sucked.

* * *

I was incredibly grateful when I entered the kitchen the next morning to find Kuwabara sitting across from Genkai. The last thing I wanted was to be alone this morning. I wasn't even sure Hiei was going to make an appearance, but if he did there was no way in hell I was going to face him alone.

In the end, it didn't matter if Kuwabara was present or not. Before we headed out for our run, Genkai informed us both that Hiei had left the shrine early that morning, though he hadn't stated his destination. From the look on Kuwabara's face, I was able to gather that Hiei's disappearance probably wouldn't be temporary.

I'm not sure how well I hid my disappointment. No, I didn't want to face Hiei immediately, but I did want to fix things at some point and I couldn't do that if he was gone.

Throughout our run, I debated the pros and cons of explaining what had happened between Hiei and myself to Kuwabara. If I was going to tell anyone, it would be Kuwabara. But I simply couldn't bring myself to broach the subject. The entire reason I had argued with Hiei was because he didn't want people to know about us. Telling Kuwabara would only worsen my issues with the fire demon.

So I didn't tell anyone anything. For two days I kept quiet, letting everyone think I was as ignorant about Hiei's reasons for disappearing as they were. And maybe I was, maybe Hiei had reasons entirely unrelated to me, but I doubted it.

And then he simply reappeared as suddenly as he had left. I entered the kitchen three mornings after our kiss and found him talking with Genkai, though my presence ended whatever conversation they had been having.

Hiei thoroughly ignored me in the days that followed and my time at Genkai's seemed to become even more boring than it once had been. I wasn't sure if he was watching over me when I was on my runs, but I liked to think he was, if only because it made me feel like what had gone wrong between us was fixable.

I avoided the others, knowing that every conversation I had would push me closer to revealing what was wrong. And they most definitely knew that something was wrong. Even Hiei's feigned indifference to me had been friendlier than his current behavior.

It drove me insane. Being ignored wasn't on my list of things I wanted the guy I liked to do. Yes, I did like Hiei. When I'd made that realization I wasn't sure, but I'd certainly made it.

* * *

I flipped the page in my book, glancing over at the shrine and wondering what Hiei was doing. Every other thought these days was about that stupid fire demon. I couldn't understand why he was treating me as he was. If he would talk to me, I could tell him that I'd listen to his reasons for secrecy and if they were good enough I'd being willing to date him in secret.

Too bad his total lack of acknowledgement prevented that conversation from happening.

Shifting uncomfortably, I cursed the ground for being so freaking hard. Much like the night I'd talked to Kurama about my parents, I was sprawled out on a towel, a book opened in front of me. But unlike last time, I was having an incredibly hard time getting lost in my book.

I was flipping the page once more, covering a yawn with my hand, when I smelled it.

Rotting meat.

My breath caught in my throat and I froze, struggling to swallow.

Shit.

Shit

Shit.

Moving without thought, I rolled to my feet and bolted toward the shrine's backdoor, abandoning my book and towel. Praying that I hadn't been seen, I took the steps in one leap and grabbed the door handle.

"Open," I begged, fumbling with the door.

"I see you, little girl. There's no counter to hide behind this time." It was him. How could he be here, at the shrine? My thoughts flashed to that night in the diner and I fought back a scream. Not again, it couldn't happen again.

The door finally opened and I hurled myself inside, slamming it shut behind me. Pressing my back to the door, I sucked in a breath and screamed for my friends. "Yusuke, Kuwabara, he's here! He's freaking here!"

Long seconds ticked by with no response from my friends. Where were they? Were they hurt?

Shoving the lock home on the door, I turned and darted into the living room. "Guys?" I whispered, scared that I was going to attract attention.

"Shyle?" I was too freaked out to figure out where the question had come from.

"Botan? Yeah, it's me," I answered.

"We're in the kitchen."

I scrambled around the couch and slipped into the kitchen to find Botan and Yukina standing at the window, peering outside.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked, glancing around the room.

"Outside," Botan murmured.

"But Keiko's not here."

"I know."

"What?" I asked, unable to understand what Botan was saying. "Keiko can't be outside."

"She knew you were out there. She went after you."

* * *

AN: I just had the biggest scare of my life. I was editing this chapter and it disappeared. The program closed and the saved file wasn't on my USB. I literally started crying because I thought I was going to have to write everything all over again. Luckily, my stepmom helped me find it and here it is.

So, the chapter is kind of short, but I had to stop here. The next chapter will be action-packed.

I was worried I wasn't going to get this chapter out. I knew what I wanted to write, but up until late last night I was not in any kind of writing mood. And then I just was... hence an update. This chapter has been planned for awhile so I hope it was good.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys rock my socks (wow, that's a geeky saying).

Oh yeah, in case anyone was wondering: the team Hideki and Daisuke are from is the Boston Red Sox.


	16. All At Once

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"She went outside to get me?" I barely whispered the words, struggling to comprehend that Keiko was outside. "But Mecca's out there."

"Mecca's here?" Botan asked.

"What do you mean? Who else could possibly be here?"

"There are a dozen demons out there. We didn't realize that Mecca was one of them. Are you sure he's outside?"

"Positive. I'd recognize his smell and voice anywhere," I explained. Frowning, I shook my head and joined Botan and Yukina at the window. "We don't have time for this. Where's Keiko?"

"We don't know. She followed Genkai and the guys outside, but I can't see her anymore."

I stood on tiptoe, looking out the window over Botan's shoulder. The backyard was utter chaos. It seemed to me that there were a lot more than twelve demons fighting my friends. I checked on Hiei without thinking, allowing myself a sigh of relief when I saw that he was untouched.

"Are they all raions?"

"I have no idea," Botan answered. "Do you know, Yukina?"

"With the exception of the one fighting Yusuke, I believe that they all are." The small apparition spoke quietly, her eyes locked worriedly on Kuwabara.

Glancing back out the window, I looked for Yusuke's opponent. He was a tall demon garbed in a gray cloak. His skin was pale and appeared to reflect the light of the setting sun. "What is he?" I asked.

"I am not positive, but I think he is a hebi, a snake demon." I shuddered when the tip of a tail flicked out from beneath the edge of the demon's cloak. Hoping that Yusuke would win, I tore my gaze away from the pair and glanced once more at Hiei. I watched as he cut down his opponent with an elegant stroke of his katana.

Turning away from the window, I started toward the kitchen door. "Try to get the attention of one of the guys. Tell them that Keiko followed them out there and I went to go get her."

"What? You can't go back outside, Shy," Botan said, alarm clear in her voice.

"I have to." I pushed the door open and darted out into the living room, returning to the backdoor. Keiko went outside to save me; I had to go outside to save her. Stopping at the door, I quickly peeked out the window beside it, looking for Keiko. I bit my lip when I caught sight of her.

She wasn't alone. Mecca was stalking toward her, his hands clenching and unclenching threateningly. It didn't take much thought to realize that he was going to hurt her, maybe even kill her. There was no way for Keiko to get back to the shrine, not with Mecca between her and the door, and I knew that I had to help her.

"You can do this, Iraheta," I told myself. Unlocking the door, I tugged it open and slipped out onto the deck. Praying that Keiko wouldn't see me and give away where I was, I darted down the stairs and headed toward Mecca. I moved as quietly as I could, trying to sneak up on the raion.

"Your friend went inside, girly. I'm afraid you're out here for nothing," Mecca taunted, chuckling as he advanced on Keiko. "If only Epsilon would be okay with me killing you now."

Epsilon? Was that his commander? Deciding to worry about that later, I took a deep breath and hurled myself at Mecca's unprotected back. I latched my arms around his neck, clasping my hands together, and wrapped my legs around him. "Run, Keiko. Get back inside."

Mecca reached up, grabbing my wrists and tugging. I held on as long as I could, digging my heels into Mecca's stomach. "You should have stayed inside, little girl. Unlike your friend, Epsilon could care less if you live," he snarled. With a powerful jerk, he forced my hands apart and flipped me up over his shoulders so that I was dangling before him.

"Keiko, go inside. Please," I begged. Thrashing, I tried to kick Mecca in the stomach.

Laughing humorously, Mecca shook me and glared over my shoulder at Keiko. "Listen to your friend, girly. Escape while you can."

"Shyle–" Keiko began.

"Just go!" I snapped. "Get one of the guys or something, but just get inside." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Keiko sprint past us, heading toward the shrine. "Now what, Mecca? Keiko's safe and you're stuck with little old me instead."

"I'm well aware, thank you," Mecca said, a vicious smirk spreading across his face. "We'll get you friend, but for now I'll play with you." I had a feeling his version of play was going to prove very painful.

"Have you ever flown, little girl?" the raion asked. Without giving me a chance to answer, Mecca swung me by my wrists, letting me go at the peak of the swing. I bit back a scream and curled in on myself, protecting my head with my arms. My breath whooshed out of my lungs when I collided painfully with a tree. Panting and trying to regain my breath, I remained motionless on the ground.

Mecca approached me, laughing heartily. "That looked fun. I apologize about throwing you into that tree. I hadn't meant to hurt you so early." He stopped before me, crouching down, his stench rolling over me. "Are you ready to continue, little girl?"

I tried to scramble up and get away from him, but he struck out at me, batting me down with his hand. "That was rude," he chided. I struggled to my feet once more and glanced around, attempting to find an escape route. Mecca stood in one smooth move and reached out, his hand curling around my neck.

I grabbed his wrist with both hands, digging my nails into the tender flesh of his underarm. He squeezed my throat, smiling maliciously. "Does this hurt?" I ignored him, moving my hands and struggling to pry his fingers off my neck. He shook my hard and snarled. "I asked you a question; you'd do well to answer me."

I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but found that I couldn't. Anger flashed through his eyes and he bared his fangs. "Answer me," he demanded. His hand clenched tighter and I closed my eyes, wondering where the hell the guys were. I'd asked Botan to get one of them. Had she not understood?

And then suddenly his grip loosened and the rage left his eyes. Smiling apologetically, he said, "I'm afraid my anger gets the better of me sometimes."

"What are you? Bipolar?" I asked, forgetting that he could easily kill me.

But he didn't get angry. In fact, he threw back his head and burst into laughter. "You're rather entertaining. It's such a shame I have to kill you." His grip tightened, though the smile never left his face. I renewed my struggle, kicking and thrashing as hard as I could.

"Release her." I recognized the voice as Kurama's and my eyes widened when his whip snaked out, striking Mecca across the back. Mecca snarled, tossing me away from him and whirling around to face Kurama. Coughing and gagging, I struggled into a sitting position and watched Kurama as he and Mecca fought.

My gaze jerked away from the kitsune when I saw a flash of black. Hiei was at my side before I'd fully realized what the flash signified. He dropped into a crouch beside me and drew me into his arms. "You're alright?"

I didn't answer, pressing my face into his shoulder. Finally managing to catch my breath, I asked, "Where are Yusuke and Kuwabara?"

"Finishing off the raions. The hebi fled." He pushed me away from him gently and waited until I looked him in the eyes. "You didn't answer me. Are you alright?"

"Not really," I murmured. I glanced over his shoulder and saw that Mecca had disappeared, leaving Kurama alone. Returning my gaze to Hiei, I added, "Kind of almost got killed."

He released me and stood up, turning away from me violently. "Get up and go inside," he snarled.

"Hiei?" Confused by his sudden change in behavior, I struggled to my feet and reached out, laying my hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Whirling back around, Hiei grabbed my upper arms and shook me. "What were you thinking, rushing out here?" he demanded. "You were right, you could have been killed. You have no training, no ability to defend yourself." His grip tightened on my arms and I squirmed uncomfortably. "You acted like an idiot."

"Hiei, let me go," I whispered, wincing as he squeezed my shoulders.

He didn't ever seem to hear me. Pulling me toward him, he shook me hard and snarled. "An idiot, you hear me?"

"Let her go, Hiei," Kurama interrupted, hurrying toward us. "You're hurting her."

The fire demon's eyes cleared and he finally appeared to realize what he was doing. His grip loosened and he stared at me. "Hiei?" I whispered. "Is something wrong?"

He didn't answer, pulling his hands away from me entirely and turning around. "Bring her inside," he said to Kurama. "Make sure she doesn't go into shock."

Kurama nodded and moved toward me, wrapping his arm around my waist. "I believe Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Genkai are still out front. I suggest you go get them and tell them that Mecca has escaped."

"Hn."

Kurama steered me toward the shrine. "Are you alright, Shyle?"

"No! No, I'm freaking not!" As soon as I yelled at him, I knew I shouldn't have. "I'm sorry, Kurama. I'm just upset. Do you know what's wrong with Hiei?"

"I'm afraid not. He's been acting rather strange these last few days and he hasn't revealed why. Did something happen between the two of you?"

"Yeah," I answered. I made no move to explain further and Kurama didn't press me. Pausing when we stepped into the living room, I shrugged out from under Kurama's arm. "Is it alright if I go shower? I think it will help me unwind."

"Of course you can. If the others ask, I'll tell them where you are."

"Thanks," I murmured, moving toward the bedroom hallway. "And, Kurama," I said, pausing in the doorway, "thanks for saving me."

He smiled at me, but didn't reply and I turned, heading for my bedroom. After grabbing a change of clothes from my room, I ducked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I tossed my clothes onto the counter and tugged off my shirt.

Dropping my shirt onto the floor, I glanced in the mirror and froze, my eyes widening in shock. My neck was a vibrant red, already beginning to bruise slightly, and my upper arms were marred by handprints where Hiei had grabbed me. Bracing myself I turned around, glancing over my shoulder to see my back in the mirror. My breath left me in a whoosh and I felt the beginning of what promised to be a good cry approaching. My back was red and raw, oozing slightly where the skin had been torn away. I bent down and grabbed my shirt, checking the back to find that it was shredded and bloody.

I barely noticed the first tear as it rolled down my cheek. Sinking to the floor, I began to sob freely. I pressed the shirt to my face, trying desperately to slow my breathing. I drew my knees up to my chest and buried my fingers in my hair, crying for the first time about everything that had happened recently.

I'm not sure how long I sat there on the bathroom floor, but when I finally forced myself to move and get into the shower I was still crying softly. I took what may have been the longest shower of my life, using the time to get myself under control. When I finally emerged from the bathroom more than an hour had passed since I'd parted ways with Kurama.

Tossing my dirty clothes into my room, I headed toward the kitchen, hoping to find my friends. Passing through the living room, I came to the kitchen door and paused when I heard what sounded like arguing. It took me only a second to recognize the voices.

"What the hell do you think you've been doing, huh? Answer me, Hiei." Yusuke sounded pissed, though by what I wasn't sure.

"Yusuke, I suggest you calm down. I agreed we should talk to him, but not like this."

"Sit down and be quiet, Kurama. I think we all know that you're going to support Hiei and quite frankly that's not what we need right now. Do you remember what we agreed to talk to him about? No, clearly you don't," Yusuke snarled, anger radiating from his every word. "We're here to talk about the crap Hiei's been putting Shy through and you siding with him won't help us accomplish anything."

"What are you talking about?" Hiei's voice was low and threatening. "I've done nothing to her."

"Bullshit," Yusuke stated calmly. "That's absolute bullshit. I know you kissed her. Kissed her and then bolted like hell. And ever since you've been ignoring her, pretending she doesn't exist. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but you need to fix it."

I'm sure Yusuke was planning to continue, but Hiei interrupted him. "How do you know I kissed her?"

"Kuwabara saw you guys. He was going to go running with her, but she made it clear she wanted to go alone." Kuwabara realized I was trying to keep him from running with me? Why didn't he say anything? "He didn't know why until he saw you two together. Are you toying with her, Hiei? Is she some kind of game to you?"

"Don't try to involve yourself in things you don't understand."

"We'd all understand if you'd stop trying to hide everything. Wise up, Hiei. We're all living in the same place; someone's going to notice that something is up. Did you think you could keep a relationship with Shy a secret?"

"I wanted to try."

"Why? What in the three worlds did you think that would accomplish?"

"You don't use your head very much, do you?" Hiei asked, his question dripping mockery. "Look how well your public relationship with Keiko has gone. Shyle could have been killed today and I'm not even courting her yet. If it is publicly know that I am in a relationship with her, she will become a target. Surely even you can understand that."

Hiei didn't want people to know about us because he thought it would keep me safe. Considering the fact that Mecca has literally held my life in his hands twice already, that was pretty ridiculous. Apparently Yusuke shared my opinion.

Snorting, Yusuke said, "Do I need to repeat myself? That's bullshit. Something scared you off and you're doing exactly what you do with Yukina. You're making up excuses, pretending that there's something preventing you from doing what you should. You claim your past would make Yukina hate you. Fine, hide behind that lie. But now you're hurting Shy and I won't put up with it. So what's got you running away with your tail between your legs, huh?"

When Hiei spoke his voice was low and even, each word carefully chosen. "I have no intentions of running."

"Oh, really? Then what do you call the two days that you just up and disappeared?"

"I was speaking with Mukuro, making arrangements for a prolonged stay in the Ningenkai. After what happened when I kissed Shyle, I realized that things would be more difficult than I once thought. We argued because she refuses to allow me to court her in secret. I cleared things with Mukuro so that I may be here to court and protect Shyle."

When Yusuke spoke next he seemed slightly deflated, as though he wasn't sure what else to say. "You're going to attempt to court Shy?"

"Hn."

"Yes or no, Hiei," Yusuke snapped, his irritation back full force.

"Yes. Yes, I do."

"Publicly?"

"Yes."

"Then why have you been letting things drag on? Why haven't you talked to her? Even I can see that you ignoring her is hurting her."

"I am not entirely sure how to proceed," Hiei answered, speaking so quietly I almost couldn't hear him.

Yusuke started laughing. "High and mighty Hiei doesn't know what to do? Never thought I'd hear that."

Speaking up for the first time since Yusuke told him to be quiet, Kurama added, "Hiei, I would suggest an apology, not only for running off, but also for what happened today."

"Wait. What?" Yusuke demanded. It seemed like Kurama hadn't told Yusuke what had happened after Mecca disappeared. I reached up to rub the marks on my arms, wondering how long it would take for the bruises to fade.

"Hiei reacted rather violently to Shyle's defense of Keiko."

"Care to explain what the hell that means?"

"She shouldn't have risked herself like that," Hiei growled. "That raion scum could have killed her."

"Regardless of how you felt about her actions you shouldn't have treated her as you did. You hurt her, Hiei. You're aware of that, aren't you?"

"Would one of you explain what happened?"

"Hiei grabbed Shyle and yelled at her. Called her an idiot."

"Damn it, Hiei. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I could have lost her."

"You talk like you think she's yours."

"She will be." I raised an eyebrow. Excuse me?

"Kind of confident with that one, Hiei," Yusuke observed, chuckling. "What happened to courting her?"

"I plan to court her and I plan to be successful."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," Yusuke said. "But, Hiei, I was serious when I said I won't let you hurt Shy. If you're going to court her, then court her, but don't keep avoiding her. Do what Kurama said, apologize and get on with things. Are we on the same page?"

"Hn."

"Yes or no, Hiei."

"Yes."

"Good to hear," Yusuke said, sounding pleased with himself. "Well, I think my work's done here. Good day, gentleman."

My eyes widening, I pulled away from the door and darted back across the living room toward the bedroom hallway. I slipped into my room just as I heard the kitchen door opening. Closing my door behind me, I threw myself down on my bed and tried to sort through everything I had just overheard.

* * *

"You're going for a run? Even after what happened yesterday?"

I glanced at Genkai and shrugged. "The sooner things are normal, the better. Moping around here won't be good for me."

"So you're going to go for a run," Genkai said, shaking her head. "You've been hanging around the dimwit too much."

"Why do you say that? No, actually, don't answer that."

Ten minutes later, I was outside, setting off on an easy jog. My run was harder than normal thanks to my banged up body. The mess that was my back protested every step, but I did my best to ignore it, concentrating on keeping my pace steady. When I finally saw the shrine through the trees, I couldn't help but feel relieved.

I slowed my pace, allowing myself to begin walking.

"Shyle."

I froze where I was. My heart hammering in my chest, I turned and looked at Hiei. He was standing with his back to a tree, watching me. "Hi," I murmured, unsure of what to say to him.

"We need to talk."

Interrupting before he could continue, I said, "I heard you talking with Yusuke and Kurama last night." His jaw tightened and his back straightened, but he made no move to stop me from continuing. "You should have told me what you told them, about the secrecy being for my safety. Instead you just stormed off."

He looked away from me, glancing over my shoulder. "I apologize for my behavior."

"Don't. Please, don't apologize just because that's what Kurama told you to do. Instead of apologizing, give me an explanation. Okay?"

"Hn," he responded.

"Well, are you going to explain?"

"I was angry. The last thing I wanted was to say something that would hurt you."

I flinched, realizing that I had done exactly that. "I'm sorry, Hiei. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like I did. I know you weren't reading my mind." I hesitated, expecting him to say something. When he didn't, I continued. "I want this to work. I want to date you, court you, whatever you want to call it. Whether it's in secret or not doesn't matter."

He pushed away from the tree he was leaning on, moving toward me. "You understand the danger it will put you in?"

"Yep."

"You want to do this anyway?"

"Yep."

He smirked and stopped before me. "Good. That means I don't need to convince you."

Biting my lip, I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his neck. When he kissed me, it was completely unlike the first kiss we had shared. He was in control, possessive in a way that I found incredibly attractive. Splaying one hand across the small of my back, he curled the other around my neck, using it to pull me to him. Just when it felt like I was going to suffocate, Hiei broke away from me.

"I intend to do this properly," he informed me.

"What does that mean?"

"Will you go out to dinner with me?"

I barely resisted the urge to break out laughing. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Hn."

Grinning, I stood up on tiptoe and pressed my lips to his quickly. "Sounds good."

* * *

AN: The amount of people who told me that they thought it would take another fifteen chapters for Hiei and Shy to make up kind of surprised me. So I hope this makes all of you happy.

I don't really have all that much to say, so I'll leave it at: Thanks to everyone who left me a review. You're all awesome.


	17. Fall Away

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Hey, Yukina," I said in greeting, crouching down in the grass beside the ice apparition. She was on her knees, steadily pulling weeds from one of Genkai's flower beds. Kurama worked just a few yards over and Genkai was inside, preparing drinks for the three gardeners.

"Hello, Shyle. How are you feeling?" I frowned slightly, studying the small girl. The way Yukina spoke always made me feel slightly uncomfortable. She was so polite, her words always carefully picked. Every time I had a conversation with the apparition I was left feeling like an unsophisticated slob.

"Actually, that's what I came to talk to you about. As I'm sure you can guess, I feel sore. Incredibly, incredibly, incredibly sore. And I was wondering if you would mind working a little of your healing magic on me. So…" I trailed off unsurely. How was I supposed to go about asking her to heal me? She probably didn't know why I wouldn't let her heal me the last time, that I'd kept my bruises because I had been scared of her, but I couldn't help feeling guilty anyway.

I wasn't even sure what had changed. It wasn't that I knew her any better than I had before moving into Genkai's. I've known Yukina for as long as I've known Kuwabara, two weeks under the same roof weren't going to change how much I trusted her. On the other hand, two weeks were long enough for me to learn to trust demons in general.

Yes, Yusuke was part demon, but he was also part human, and I tended to forget that he wasn't just like Kuwabara or Keiko. Being around Kurama and, more importantly, Hiei had helped me adjust to the idea of demons. I'd known about demons for years, but I'd never had any real contact with demons.

My encounter with Mecca had been formative. It awakened me to the threat that demons can present, but Hiei and Kurama had taught me the exact opposite. Some demons were dangerous, some weren't. The same could be said for humans.

As for why I wanted by bruises healed, there was more to it than wanting an end to the soreness. If I was going to be dating Hiei, I wanted to at least look somewhat attractive and I doubted he found bruises sexy.

"Shyle?"

I shook my head, pulling out of my thoughts. "Sorry, I got a little distracted."

"I'd be happy to heal you."

"Awesome. Whenever you're done here works for me. I'll be inside."

She glanced at me. "I can take a break right now, if you'd like." Turning her gaze to redhead working a few feet down the flower bed, Yukina said, "I'm going inside, Kurama. Would you mind telling Genkai if she asks?"

"Of course not," Kurama answered.

Yukina stood up gracefully, brushing off her knees, and I followed suit. We headed inside together, wordlessly deciding to go to the kitchen. "Where do you want me to sit?" I asked.

"On an elevated surface, please."

"Does the counter work?"

"Yes."

I pushed open the kitchen door, but didn't move into the room. "Would you mind some company, Yusuke?"

The hanyou was seated at the table, stuffing his face with a sandwich. Looking up at us, he said, "Yukina can come in, but you kind of annoy me."

"The feeling's mutual," I replied, grinning at his indignant glare. "Oh yeah, I went there."

"You'll need to take off your shirt," Yukina murmured, causing Yusuke's eyes to widen in alarm.

"What exactly is going on here?"

"I asked Yukina to heal me and she said yes. She needs access to my back. Did you know that being thrown into a tree can do serious damage to one's back?" I asked.

"I do now," Yusuke answered, returning his attention to his sandwich.

Rolling my eyes, I tugged my shirt off, leaving me in my sports bra and running shorts. I'd gone to see Yukina right after fixing things with Hiei, which meant I'd yet to shower or change after my run.

"Why are you shirtless?" I started in surprise and my gaze darted to the windowsill. Hiei jumped down from the sill and studied me, clearly trying to figure out what was going on. His gaze flicked over me, coming to rest on my arms. I watched as he grew pale, his jaw tightening. Puzzled, I was about to ask him what was wrong when realization struck me. Kurama had told him he was hurting me, but Hiei hadn't realized that he had squeezed me hard enough to bruise.

"You didn't know? Shy likes to strip for fun," Yusuke said, glancing at the fire demon. "Are you alright?"

Interrupting before Hiei was forced to answer, I snapped, "You're an ass, Yusuke. Yukina is going to heal me and she needed me to take my shirt off. No biggie."

Yusuke glanced at me for the first time since I'd taken my shirt off and his eyes widened. "You really got banged up, huh?"

"I'll bang you up," I muttered in annoyance, hoisting myself up onto the counter. Yukina stood at me side, reaching out to press her fingers against the bruises on my right arm. I watched as her fingers glowed softly and shivered slightly at the strange tingling her powers caused. I'd experienced the feeling before when Yukina healed my ankle after a few sprains, but I never got used to it.

"What's this about banging?"

Turning my gaze away from Yukina, I saw that her fiancé had joined us. Kuwabara grinned from his seat at the table and leaned forward to slap Yusuke a high five. "Nice, my friend, very nice," Yusuke said, chuckling.

"Kuwabara, we've had this conversation before," I scolded.

"What conversation?"

"The one about keeping your head out of the gutter."

"Ah, right. I hate that conversation. It's a major downer," Kuwabara sighed, hanging his head and pretending to be upset.

Yusuke frowned and shook his head. "I disagree, Shy. The gutter is fun. The more time spent there, the better."

"Spoken like a man," I muttered as Yukina switched to my left arm, leaving my right completely unmarked. Risking a glance at Hiei, I saw that he still looked troubled. I'd have to make sure he knew I wasn't mad. He had been upset and I understood that.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You find references to 'banging' funny. That's clearly guy humor."

"Are you saying that there is something wrong with that?"

"Nope, but it did remind me of something."

"Oh, it did, did it?" Yusuke asked, sounding as though he was talking down to me.

"Yeah, jackass, it did. Where's Keiko?"

"Are you calling my girlfriend a guy?"

"Nope. Now answer the question."

"Don't tell me what to do," Yusuke snapped.

Shooting him a dirty look, I directed my attention to Kuwabara. "Do you know where Keiko is?"

"She's still asleep in your room, right Urameshi?"

"Don't ask me questions!"

"Is he three?" I asked the room at large. "Because it really seems like he is." I was vaguely surprised that Keiko was still asleep. Glancing at the clock, I raised an eyebrow. Normally Keiko was awake by eight, yet it was almost ten and she was still sleeping. "Is she okay?"

"I think she's just a little frazzled by what happened yesterday," Yusuke answered, no longer pretending to be angry. "You put yourself in danger to protect her and she's feeling guilty."

I sighed. "She shouldn't blame herself. You were right when you said I put myself in danger. That was all me."

"Yeah, but Mecca was after her. He only attacked you because you got in his way." I didn't bother arguing with Yusuke. It wasn't the hanyou I had issues with anyway. I needed to talk to Keiko, to reassure her that she had nothing to feel guilty for. When Yusuke saw that I wasn't going to respond, he asked, "So, why'd you need her?"

"Shyle, would you mind turning around?" Yukina asked. Murmuring my assent, I swung my legs up on the counter and twisted around so that I was facing the wall, sitting with my legs crossed. Yukina pressed her fingertips to my back softly and the strange sensation of being healed commenced.

"Well," I said, ignoring how awkward it felt to be talking to the wall, "before all this craziness happened and we were forced to move in here, Keiko and I had a date planned."

"A date?" Kuwabara asked, grinning. "My mind has officially returned to the gutter."

"Are you insinuating that you and Keiko are romantically involved?" There was a mischievous twinkle in Yusuke's eye.

"Of course I am. Why else would we go on a date? We were going to tell you, but Keiko was afraid that it would cause you to spiral into depression."

"She knows me so well," Yusuke sighed, feigning sadness.

"You know what's hilarious about all this?" Kuwabara asked.

"Feel free to go ahead and tell us," I said, grinning at him.

"Urameshi turned Keiko gay, that's what."

"You're aware that it isn't a real date, right?" I asked, eyeing Kuwabara strangely. "We have a movie date, as in two friends going out as friends…"

Rolling his eyes, Kuwabara said, "Yes, I knew it wasn't real. I'm not stupid."

"Just checking."

"Do you see what I mean though?"

"Yeah, it was hilarious," Yusuke said dryly. "Anyway, why does this 'date' matter so much?"

"I think Keiko and I should go into the city and a have a girls' day. Just the two of us." I raised my hand to prevent any of the guys from interrupting. "You guys need to chaperone us, right? To make sure we don't get attacked by demons. I get that and I'm okay with it, but I think that you guys should follow at a distance or something."

"I don't see why we can't come with you two," Yusuke said. I could sense the frown on his face.

"Because your presence would prevent it from being a girls' day."

"My presence would make it awesome."

"I disagree. Look, I know you feel that you need to protect us, but you don't need to do so from right beside us. When I went to my parents, Kurama and Hiei protected me from a distance. Why can't we do the same in this case?"

"You were in one place when you were at your parents. It will be much harder to protect you two when you're in the middle of crowded public areas."

"You really think we'll be attacked in a movie theater. Maybe by some creep who thinks he's going to get lucky, but not by demons. If we are in the middle of a large crowd, no one would be stupid enough to attack us."

"I still don't get why we can't come with you."

"You won't want to be with us. Trust me," I said, grinning at the wall. "Would you like me to list the reasons?" Rather than waiting for a response, I continued without pause, using my fingers to tick off the reasons. "We will be seeing a chick flick, having girl talks, giggling. I could continue, but I'm sure you get the point."

"You're right," Yusuke admitted. "I most definitely don't want to be with you for chick flicks and giggling. Although, being able to hear your girl talks might prove interesting."

"You won't be listening to anything," I replied.

"Nope, but Hiei will."

"What?" I asked, barely resisting the urge to turn around and look at Yusuke. "What are you talking about?"

"If we let you two go places on your own, then Hiei will need to keep track of you to make sure you're alright."

I frowned, not sure how much I liked that idea. "Keiko and I are going to be having conversations we won't necessarily want someone else to hear." Out of the corner of my eye I was able to see Hiei, who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. It was extremely likely that I would want to talk to Keiko about him, although, now that I thought about it, we hadn't discussed if we were dating in secret or not.

Hiei smirked at me. "If you told me to stop listening, I could do so. That way you would be able to have your conversation."

"How would I tell you?"

"All you would need to do was think it and I would hear it."

"Oh," I said, realizing how stupid my question had been.

"That sounds great," Kuwabara said, "except, how is Hiei supposed to know when he can start listening again?"

Frowning, I tried to figure out a way to ensure our privacy. "If I tell him to stop listening, then he can wait half an hour and then start again. Does that work?"

"Hiei?" Yusuke asked.

"Hn."

"Would you please get off the counter so that I may heal your neck?" Yukina requested.

"Sure," I answered, hopping down from the counter. Yukina pressed her fingers to my neck and I closed my eyes, trying to ignore how uncomfortable being healed felt. I listened as Yusuke and Kuwabara started talking, discussing the best place for them to hang while Keiko and I had our day.

Yukina pulled away from me after what felt like ages. Smiling she said, "All done. You should be fine now. If no one else needs me, I'm going to go back outside to help Genkai and Kurama."

"I'll come," Kuwabara said, moving forward to wrap his arm around Yukina. Together the two headed back outside. Hiei muttered something about going to train and disappeared out the window, leaving me and Yusuke alone.

Tugging my shirt on over my head, I took the seat at the table that Kuwabara had occupied a few minutes earlier. "Alright, we need to talk," I told Yusuke. He looked up at me, brushing the last crumbs of his sandwich off his fingers.

"About?"

"I know you and Kurama talked to Hiei," I said, putting it bluntly. "And I'm not mad or anything. Actually, I kind of wanted to say thanks. But," I said, continuing before he could say anything, "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't do it again."

"Why?"

"Because I'll never know if Hiei is doing something because he wanted to or because someone else told him to."

"So you two are dating?"

"I didn't say that. I just want to make sure that the things Hiei does aren't influenced by anyone. Okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. We were just trying to help, to protect you."

"I know and that's why I'm not mad. Just in the future, could you stick to protecting me from the bad guys and not friends?"

"Sure," Yusuke answered, grinning ruefully. "Whatever floats your boat."

* * *

I shifted nervously from foot to foot, standing before Hiei's bedroom door. Taking a deep breath, I reached up and knocked on the door. "Hiei? It's Shy."

"Come in."

Smiling, I pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind me. "Hi," I murmured. He was in the process of taking off his shirt and I watched as his muscular chest came into view. Blushing, I looked away and moved to take a seat on his bed. "So, um, I wanted to talk to you about some stuff."

"Hn, go ahead."

"Well, for one thing, you never told me if we're a secret or not," I said.

He turned to face me and smirked. "I've decided that there is no need for secrecy. As you know, I was considering you safety when I wanted to keep our relationship a secret. Since then I've decided that there is no danger in others knowing about us. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara have promised that they will help me protect you when I can not."

"Okay, so how do we tell everyone or have you already done that?"

"The others are not aware that I am courting you. They only know that I have intentions of doing so."

"That still leaves the question of how we tell them."

"I'm sure they will notice."

"I'm glad you have so much faith because I doubt that Yusuke has the ability to notice something like that."

"He will notice."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You sitting with me on the train tomorrow will make it pretty clear." I raised an eyebrow. I'd talked to Keiko and we decided that we would go into the city tomorrow with the guys as our bodyguards.

"It's supposed to be a girls' day. You and I sitting together would kind of prevent that."

"It will only be on a train. You may have your girls' day after that."

I sighed. "Alright, that works for me. Now, on to the next issue. I'm not mad at you about when you grabbed my arms. I saw your face in the kitchen today so don't try to deny that you're upset about it. It doesn't matter to me. You were angry, still in battle mode, so don't worry about it. Okay?"

"I shouldn't have hurt you," he growled, turning around and beginning to pace. "I was so concerned about protecting you from others that I forgot about protecting you from myself. I will have to be careful. You're human and I should never forget that."

"Don't treat me like I'm fragile. I'm a big girl, Hiei."

"Hn." I sighed, but let it drop.

"And, um…" I trailed off, not sure how to broach my next question. Finally, I decided to just come out and say it. "Why is Yukina so important to you?"

He stopped his pacing, jerking around to face me. His eyes studied me intently. "Why do you ask that?"

"I won't get mad, no matter what your answer is. I just want to know. I've seen the way you react when she and Kuwabara are together and Yusuke said you think your past will drive her away. I'm not even asking about your past, you'll tell me that when you want to. Please just tell me."

There was a long silence, during which I stared at my hands, trying desperately to ignore the way Hiei was watching me. He spoke after what felt like ages. "Yukina is my sister."

My gaze snapped up to meet his. "Your sister?"

"She doesn't know and she never will. When I got my jagan I swore I would never tell her."

"Don't you want her to know?"

"So that she may be horrified by my past? No thank you."

"Maybe it wouldn't matter to her." I didn't add that I wouldn't mind if he told me. It wouldn't change how I felt about him. Yukina had told me on more than one occasion how much she wanted to meet her brother, how much he mattered to her.

"Regardless, I am unable to tell her. I won't go back on my word."

"What would you do if she guessed on her own?"

"Hn, I will deal with that if it happens."

After hesitating a fraction of a second, I asked, "Are you ever going to tell me about your past?"

"In the future, yes, I will. Maybe on our date."

Grinning, I stood up and moved toward him. "When is that date?"

"Friday?"

"Sure," I answered.

He closed the distance between us, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me to him. He pressed his lips to mine, entangling his free hand in my hair. When he ran his tongue over my bottom lip, I opened my mouth, granting him access.

I could seriously get used to this.

* * *

AN: Another filler chapter. I'm sorry about that, but it was needed for progression. Next chapter they'll be going into the city, which means there will be a lot of Keiko and Shyle interaction.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. That being said, I have a request of people who favorite the story. If you favorite it, there must be something you like about it, so could you leave me a review and tell me what that is? Anyway, that's all till next time.


	18. Vegas

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

I stood at my window, staring out at the rain. The walk to the train station was going to be incredibly enjoyable.

Not.

Sighing, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and turned toward the door. We were leaving early and I'd decided not to go for a run, not that I would have in the rain. Still in my pajamas, I slipped out into the hallway and started for the bathroom. Keiko emerged from the room just as I reached the door.

"Hey," I said, grabbing her arm. "Are we dressing comfy?"

"You were thinking that too? Good, that means I don't have to convince you," she answered, smiling at me. "Although," she added, with an evil twinkle in her eye, "if you go like that, I don't really want to be seen with you."

"Ha ha ha, you're hilarious," I stated, emphasizing each word, lacing them with sarcasm. "These are my pajamas, you jerk."

"And that hairstyle?"

"Is called bed-head. Now, shove off and get out of my way." I pushed past her, snickering at the indignant noise she made. "That was called being rude, you like?"

"Oh yes, it was wonderful."

"Awesome," I said, grinning at her. I moved to shut the door, but she reached out and stopped me, splaying her hand against the wood. "What?"

"You saw that is was raining?"

"Yeah."

"What would you say to hitching a ride to the train station?"

"I'd say that would be pretty great. Why?" I asked.

"Well, I was thinking that we could ask the guys to run us there." When I raised an eyebrow, Keiko continued, "Yusuke and the others run incredibly fast. You've seen Hiei, right? He's the fastest, but the others are pretty good too. We'd be there much faster than if we walked." She raised an eyebrow suggestively and waited for a response.

"Sure. Works for me."

"Okay, I'll tell Yusuke."

Giving her a thumbs up, I closed the door and set to work getting ready for the day. Leaving the bathroom ten minutes later, I almost slammed into Kuwabara.

"Morning, Shy," he said, raising a hand to cover a yawn. "Keiko said that we're running you to the train station. Want me to carry you?"

"Actually, I think I'm good."

"What?" he asked, clearly confused. "How the hell are you getting there then?"

"You'll see," I said with a wink. Frowning at me, Kuwabara moved into the bathroom and closed the door. Laughing, I headed down the hall toward Hiei's room. Wishing that I wasn't in my pajamas, I knocked on his door and said, "Hiei? It's Shyle. Can I come in?"

"In the future you do not need to knock." Oh yeah, because I was going to risk seeing him doing who knows what. With my luck, the one time I didn't knock would be the time that he was completely naked. And while the sight wouldn't be all that bad, I would be way too mortified to truly appreciate it. Shaking my head, I opened the door and leaned against the doorframe.

My eyes widened when I saw that Hiei was in the process of getting dressed. I'd seen him shirtless before, but he was lacking more than a shirt. He stepping into a pair of jeans and pulled them up, turning to face me as he pulled up the zipper. I swallowed hard and tried to remember what I had wanted to ask him.

"Well, what is it?" he asked. How was he so comfortable with so little clothes on? Granted I'd been fine in only my sports bra, but that had been for a reason. Hiei was just plain lacking clothes.

Watching as he turned and grabbed a belt off his bed, I slipped into the room and closed the door behind me. "Would you be willing to carry me to the train station?" I tried not to stare at Hiei's chest when he turned back around and eyed me questioningly. "Keiko suggested that you guys run us to the station in order to stay as dry as possible. I figured you would prefer that you carried me rather than Kuwabara."

"You were right," Hiei answered as he tugged a shirt over his head.

"Does that mean you'll carry me?"

"Yes."

"Okay," I said, smiling at him. "Well, I'm going to go get dressed and, um, I'll see you in a little while." I was in the process of turning around and opening the door when Hiei wrapped his arms around my waist. Twisting around to face him, I raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Smirking, he leaned down to quickly kiss me on the lips. Was this our new way of saying goodbye? Because it wasn't the best way to get me to leave. When Hiei pulled away, I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes, allowing his warmth to envelope me.

"Just so you know, I'm probably going to sleep on the train. If you don't want to be my pillow, I suggest reconsidering our seating arrangements."

"I'll be fine," Hiei answered, easing away from me. "Go get dressed."

"Yes, sir," I said, grinning and give him a quick salute. Giggling at the vaguely annoyed expression that crossed his face, I darted out into the hallway and returned to my room.

* * *

Our group had congregated in the foyer not even twenty minutes later. I couldn't help but be amazed at how quickly everyone had gotten ready. We had one bathroom for six people, but there had been no issues getting in to it. In fact, at no point did anyone even have to wait outside the bathroom.

"This is the Shyle I know," Yusuke said, slinging his arm around my shoulders. He made a big show of looking me up and down, studying my outfit. "All those skirts were starting to freak me out."

"Shove it, Yusuke," I muttered, jerking out from under his arm. He chuckled, clearly pleased with himself. I was wearing a pair of dark jean shorts and a red sweatshirt over a simple t-shirt, but it didn't really matter. Keiko was dressed similarly, though she wore pants rather than shorts. "We agreed to dress comfortably and that's what I did."

"Yeah, yeah, if you say so."

"I do say so."

Kuwabara rolled his eyes and interrupted our petty argument. "I still don't understand how you're getting to the train station, Shy."

I hesitated a fraction of a second, trying to figure out how best to explain that Hiei would be carrying me. But it seemed that I took too long for Hiei's liking because he took it upon himself to enlighten the others. "I'm carrying her."

"What?" Yusuke and Kuwabara asked in unison. Keiko stared at me in dumbstruck silence for a few long seconds, before a cunning little smile crept onto her face. I was going to have a lot of explaining to do today.

"You heard him," I answered. "Hiei is going to carry me."

Yusuke studied the two of us, apparently thinking over what he had just learned. The humor left his eyes and he stared Hiei down seriously. I guess I wasn't the only one who had some explaining to do. I could only hope that Yusuke would remember what I had told him the day before. The less he interfered, the better. Hiei wanted a lasting, serious relationship and I wouldn't know if one was possible if other people were always influencing him.

"Are we ready?" I asked. When no one made a move to show that we weren't, I added, "Let's go." I opened the front door and stepped outside, the rest of our group on my heels.

Yusuke swung Keiko up into his arms, settling her so that he could carry her bridal style, and looked at me and Hiei. "Well, are you going to carry her or not?"

"Hn," Hiei answered, narrowing his eyes at the hanyou. "Would you rather be carried like that or on my back?" he asked me.

"You mean like piggyback? I'd prefer that." He nodded and turned his back to me, crouching down so that I could wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.

"Hold on tight, babe," Yusuke told Keiko. A second later he was out running through the rain, heading in the direction of the train station. Kuwabara and Kurama followed him, darting out from under the protection of the shrine's overhang.

"Are you ready?" Hiei asked.

"Give me a second," I answered. I unclasped my hands and reached up to pull my hood over my head, tugging the drawstrings tight. Once again wrapping my arms around his neck, I said, "Okay, I'm good."

Hiei gripped the underside of my thighs and, in a perfect imitation of Yusuke, said, "Hold on tight, babe." My laughter caught in my throat when Hiei jumped off the porch and started running. Holy shit, he was fast. I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged my legs tightly around his waist.

I knew when we caught up to and passed the others thanks to the indignant squawk Kuwabara made. Smiling, I opened my eyes and risked a glance over my shoulder to see the others running together in a tight cluster. In no time at all we were so far ahead of them that I could no longer see their little group. Looking forward I saw that we had already reached the train station. Hiei slowed to a stop and allowed me to jump down from his back.

We waited for the others beneath a large tree that protected us from most of the rain. "You're nauseatingly fast," I muttered.

"Hn."

"Do you think they were surprised?"

"By what?"

"The fact that we're dating," I elaborated.

"Yusuke and the idiot certainly were."

"The idiot?" I asked, laughing. "You mean Kuwabara?"

"Yes."

"I should call him that," I said, knowing that it would piss Kuwabara off.

Hiei only smirked.

* * *

I slept most of the train ride, resting my head on Hiei's shoulder. The fire demon shook me awake as the train pulled into the station in the city. Covering a yawn with one hand, I sat up straighter and glanced around. "We're here?"

"Where else would we be?" Yusuke asked sarcastically. I shot him a dirty look and stood up, following Hiei off the train and into the station. Keiko joined me and smiled at the guys.

"Alright, this is where we part ways," she said, linking arms with me. "Are you listening to Shy's thoughts?" she asked Hiei.

"Hn."

"I'm going to take that as a yes," Keiko replied, turning the two of us around and pulling me toward the exit. "So what's the plan?"

"We take the bus to my apartment building and pick up my car. From there we go wherever we want. Personally I think we should go to the movies and then get lunch, but I'm up for other options."

"Nope, that sounds good to me. You have your car keys?"

"Of course," I answered, fishing my keys out of my sweatshirt's front pocket and dangling them in front of Keiko's face. We waited under the station's overhang until a bus came and then took it to my apartment building. It was pouring when the bus came to a stop and we bolted toward my car, laughing as we became drenched.

"Open the door, Shy," Keiko said, trying to open the passenger side door.

"I'm trying," I responded, as the doors finally unlocked.

"Don't you have an 'unlock' button on your key," Keiko demanded as she slid into her seat and pulled the door shut.

"I do, but it was funner trying to open the door manually."

"The proper way to say that would be 'more fun,'" Keiko said.

"Get out of my car," I snapped, shooting her a mock glare.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"You can't be serious."

Grinning, I put the key into the ignition and started the car. "I'm not." Shifting into reverse, I backed out of my spot and glanced at Keiko. "Would you please get my CDs out of the glove compartment? This day will not be complete without music."

She took out my stack of CDs as I pulled out into traffic. "What do you want to listen to?"

"Pick one. I have faith in your judgment."

"That's brave."

"What can I say, I'm trusting."

"Maybe overly so," Keiko added. "So, we're guy free. What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, I'm sure you have questions about Hiei."

"Yeah, I do. Um, what is with that?"

"I thought you'd be happy."

"I am, I guess, but I'm still confused. Mind explaining how you two got together."

"You can thank Genkai. It's pretty much all thanks to her." In answer to Keiko's unspoken question, I added, "The first day at the shrine she asked Hiei to watch over me while I was on my runs. In the beginning, we didn't exactly get along, but eventually we came to an agreement of sorts."

"And that agreement is… what?"

"We ask one another questions about whatever we want."

"And you always answer truthfully."

"I do and, as far as I can tell, so does he."

"Interesting. How did that evolve into a relationship?" she asked.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not entirely sure, but it did and that's all that mattered."

"How long have you two been together?"

"Since yesterday morning," I answered. "He kissed me the day before he disappeared, but we argued and we didn't fix things until yesterday."

"What did you argue about?"

"He wanted to keep us a secret, but I didn't."

"What made him change his mind?"

"He's really serious about this, serious as in me being his potential mate. So I guess he decided that secrecy wasn't important enough to prevent him from courting me."

"Are you ready to get mated?" Keiko asked. "I've told you about my issues with the idea of mating Yusuke. Are you sure you won't have issues too?"

"No, but that's the point of courting. We aren't going to seal the deal tomorrow. I need to get to know him, really know him. Matings are permanent and I'm not going to rush into one." Stopping at a red light, I glanced at Keiko. "I don't really know Hiei and until I do, I'm not going to make my decision."

"Alright, alright," she said, holding up her hands in surrender. "No need to get so defensive."

"Sorry," I said with a grin. "I just hate when people get all judgmental on me."

"Understandable," Keiko replied and let the topic drop. She changed subjects easily, asking me what movie she thought we should go see.

What I'd said to Keiko was true. Hiei seemed set on this whole mating thing and I knew that he was courting me with the intention of a lifetime relationship, but I wasn't ready to jump the gun and commit to him. I wanted to date him for how ever long felt necessary before becoming his mate.

Realizing that the fire demon could hear every thought I had, I shoved the topic of matings from my mind and focused on Keiko. This was supposed to be a girls' day. I could worry about Hiei later.

* * *

"He's not as good looking as Daisuke, but he'll do," Keiko said, watching our waiter disappear into the kitchen. We'd chosen to eat lunch at a small restaurant that we always used to come to during high school. Most of the staff had changed, but the menu remained almost exactly as it had been when we used be regulars.

I scanned the menu to see what I wanted. "Speaking of Daisuke, I'm pretty sure that he made Hiei jealous," I said, unable to prevent myself from giggling when I remembered all of the growling that I'd heard during that dinner.

As soon as we'd entered the restaurant, I'd asked Hiei to give us a half hour so I knew it was safe to discuss the fire demon. "Really?" Keiko asked. "I didn't think it was possible for Hiei to be jealous. He's always struck me as the type that is too confident to care."

"I disagree."

"You would," Keiko said, closing her menu and laying it down on the table.

"I think he's going to be really possessive and overprotective, which I have to admit is kind of sexy."

"You find that sexy?" Keiko asked, shaking her head in disagreement. "That would annoy me."

"Which is why you're with Yusuke?" The hanyou got angry whenever a guy he didn't know got within twenty feet of Keiko. "That makes no sense."

"Oh, don't worry. Yusuke drives me insane."

"Are you ready to order?" Startled, I glanced up at our waiter, who was watching us expectantly.

"Uh, yeah," I answered, quickly telling him my choice and handing him my menu. Keiko laughed at me and told him her order. Smiling at each of us, he accepted Keiko's menu and left, heading off to his next table.

"What were we talking about?" Keiko inquired

"Boyfriends."

"Ah, right. So, is Hiei a good kisser?"

"What?"

"Is Hiei a good kisser?"

"Um, yeah, I guess."

"That wasn't very confident," Keiko observed.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "He's very good. So good that I have a feeling that I suck in comparison."

"I love your confidence."

"Seriously though, my experience sucks compared to his. He's had three serious relationships and I've had none. I'd bet money that he's had a bunch of flings too. I mean, have you seen him? He probably has girls throwing themselves at him every day in the Makai." Not to mention a few guys, considering the fact that he was bisexual.

"Yeah, but he chose you," Keiko said."

"Still. You're lucky. You and Yusuke had all your firsts together. Your first kiss, your first date, your first… well you know."

"Are you trying to hint at the fact that Yusuke and I have slept together."

"Yes, exactly. I'm sure Hiei's slept with people before, probably numerous people. It's going to be awkward as all hell to tell him that I'm a virgin."

"Actually, Yusuke told me once that demons can tell if a female is a virgin or not. It has something to do with your smell. The point is, in all likelihood Hiei already knows that you haven't slept with anyone and he clearly doesn't care. I bet it makes him happy, thinking that he'll be your first." She stopped talking, studying me for a second. "But I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. You're already thinking about sleeping with Hiei? Isn't it a little early for that?"

"Not if he's already thinking about being mates."

"You, my friend, are in over your head."

"You, my friend, aren't helpful."

The rest of our day passed quickly. Keiko and I hadn't been spending as much time with one another as we used to and it was nice to have some alone time with her. After lunch we went shopping, having more fun running between stores and trying not to get wet than actually browsing through the stores.

When we finally met with the guys at the train station we were both tired, but thoroughly content. The guys on the other hand didn't seem quite as happy about their day. In fact, Yusuke vowed that he would never again act as our bodyguard, not if it was going to be so incredibly boring. I assured him that we wouldn't mind if he stopped being so freaking overprotective.

In return, I received an impressively dirty look.

* * *

AN: I had a rather interesting experience this weekend that stole a bunch of my writing time. My dad and I got stuck out in the middle of a lake on our JetSkis in the middle of a thunderstorm. We ended up beaching our JetSkis at a girls' summer camp and avoiding the rain in their equipment barn, while all the little girls stared at us. Then we spent the next hour making our way back to the marina where we dock our JetSkis, trying not to catch up to the storm. It was kind of fun, but not exactly something I want to do ever again.

Anyway, thanks for all the awesome reviews I received. You guys rock. Tell me what you thought of this chapter, 'kay?


	19. The City is At War

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

The song talked about at the end of the chapter is called The City is At War by Cobra Starship. I suggest listening to it while reading that part of the chapter.

* * *

"What is with the freaking rain?" I asked, glaring out the kitchen window at the steady drizzle falling outside. It wasn't the utter downpour of the day before, but it was certainly enough to make a run relatively unpleasant. Actually, that's not true. The rain would have little effect on my run, in all likelihood I would forget it was even raining after the first half mile. The aftermath of the run would be an entirely different story. Rain always makes my hair a tangled mess and the endless puddles that collect almost guarantee that my sneakers will be wet for days.

"I'm not a meteorologist," Genkai barked. Turning around, I raised an eyebrow at the old psychic. Who put the stick up her ass?

"It was kind of a rhetorical question," I said, frowning at her. "No need to bite my head off."

Genkai glanced at me, allowing herself a small smile. "I apologize if I offended you," she said, without sounding particularly remorseful. "I'm annoyed with the dimwit."

"That isn't out of the ordinary," I observed, taking a seat at the kitchen table. There was no way in hell that I was going to go out running while it was still raining. If the weather cleared up later in the day, I could go running then, but until that time I was staying safely indoors. "So why are you annoyed this time?"

"After Mecca's most recent attack, Yusuke contacted Mukuro and Yomi. He feels that the three of them should get together and discuss the best way to handle Mecca."

"Why does Yusuke need Mukuro and Yomi to get involved?"

"The boys have come to the conclusion that whoever Mecca is working for may have interests in upsetting the current peace in the Makai. By uniting the leaders of all three territories against a common enemy, Yusuke hopes to preserve that peace."

"Oh, that reminds me," I said, sitting up straighter and leaning forward in my seat eagerly. "When Mecca was attacking Keiko, he said that Epsilon would be upset if Keiko was killed. Could Epsilon be the man Mecca is employed by?"

Genkai took her time responding, no doubt considering what I had said. "It is possible. Have you told any of the boys about this?"

"No, it slipped my mind, which I'm sure you think is stupid, but I'm not good at all this stuff. I don't understand political alliances or why Mecca is such a threat. I'm not sure I want to understand," I muttered, shoving a lock of hair back behind my ear.

"You're aware that you will have to understand all of this if you become Hiei's mate, aren't you? It will be a major part of your life."

"Wonderful," I groaned.

"I still haven't answered your question," Genkai said. "The one about why I'm annoyed."

"True," I replied, grinning. "Feel free to continue."

"I am annoyed because Yusuke, being the ingrate that he is, decided to invite Mukuro, Yomi, and all their advisors here, to my house. Back when the peace negotiations where first being created, this shrine was used as a meeting place because it was deemed a neutral location. Apparently the dimwit assumed it is still available for such uses." The psychic glared irritably at her mug of tea, her hand clenching the handle to tightly that her knuckles turned white. Yusuke was the only person I knew that could get Genkai so riled up.

"Mind refreshing me on Makai politics?"

"After Yusuke designed the tournament to decide who would become ruler of the Makai, the three territories settled into an uneasy peace, though peace may not be the right word for it. There was no fighting between territories, but they were by no means on friendly terms. Around the time Yusuke returned to the Ningenkai, peace negotiations began in earnest. Enki, the current king of the Makai, met here with Yusuke, Mukuro, Yomi, and Koenma to settle the issues between the three territories. Since then there has been a relative peace between Gendar, Alaric, and Tourin. Issues still crop up, but they tend to be caused by rebels who are unaffiliated with any of the territories."

I frowned slightly, trying to get everything she said straight in my head. "If the three territories have their own rulers, then what does Enki do?"

"He presides over the Makai in its entirety, creating and enforcing laws that affect every territory. His authority outranks that of Yusuke, Mukuro, and Yomi, giving him the ultimate power in the Makai."

Tapping my fingertips on the tabletop, I pursed my lips. "So you're annoyed due to the meeting that is going to be held here at some point?"

"Not at some point," Genkai growled, her irritation back full force. "The meeting will be held today. Our guests are due to be here in a few hours time."

"I assume you're not going for a run this morning." I glanced toward the doorway, to find Hiei leaning against the doorframe.

Smiling, I stood up and moved toward him. "You assumed correctly. But I might go for a run later if the rain stops." I stopped before him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Morning, firefly."

I was almost positive that Hiei's eye twitched. "You're going to insist on calling me that ridiculous name?"

"You don't like it?" I asked, pretending to be hurt.

"I simply do not see how that name is appropriate."

"It's a pet name, it doesn't need to make sense," I said, rolling my eyes. Cutting Hiei off before he could say anything, I stood up on tiptoe and pressed my lips to his.

A chair scrapped across the floor behind us. "If you are going to be all over one another, I am leaving." Grumbling under her breath, Genkai headed toward the front hall, probably intending to take the hallway there that lead to her bedroom.

Laughing at Genkai, I moved to pull away from Hiei, but he wouldn't let me. He kept his arms wrapped firmly around my waist, smirking down at me. "What?" I asked, confused as to why he wouldn't let me go.

"Genkai explained that we would be having company today?" At my nod, Hiei continued, "Do not worry about what they may think of you. Act as you always would." I swallowed hard, trying to fight my sudden onslaught of nerves. I hadn't been nervous until Hiei told me not to be. "If they do not like you as you are, they can answer to me."

I couldn't help but smile. "That may have been the sweetest thing you've ever said to me," I said, giggling at his immediate grimace. "That's a good thing," I assured him.

Hiei's scowl faded, his face becoming deadly serious. "They may say things that are offensive. I want you to be prepared."

I hesitated, trying to understand what he meant. "Why would they do something offensive?"

"You're a human and therefore an unorthodox choice for a potential mate."

"But Keiko is a human and she's never said anything about demons giving her problems."

"Yusuke is of a higher rank than me, which provides Keiko with more protection. Not to mention that he is a hanyou. Normal tradition does not apply to him."

I wasn't sure if I should find Hiei breaking tradition to be with me a compliment or not. Deciding not to stress about it, I shrugged. "I'll be alright, Hiei. I have tough skin."

He nodded and quickly bent to give me a kiss. Even after he had broken the kiss, he kept his hold on me. "When the meeting begins, you will not be allowed to be in the room. For that matter, neither will Kuwabara, Keiko, or Yukina. I am not sure how long it will take, so I suggest you think of something to do in order to keep entertained."

"Will do, firefly," I said, grinning at him cheekily. "Now, let me go. Since I'm not going for a run, I want to eat breakfast." He released his grip on me and I turned away, heading toward the fridge. "I'm going to have cereal. Do you want any?"

"Hn, I will have some," he answered, taking a seat at the table.

I quickly grabbed milk, the box of cereal, and two bowls before joining Hiei at the table. Once I'd prepared myself a bowl, I glanced at him. "So, is there anything I should know prior to the arrival of our guests?"

"Yomi is blind, but I advise that you do not stare at him. He will know if you do. What do you know of Mukuro's appearance?"

"Not much."

Hiei nodded. "I expected as much. Mukuro was once a slave and during that time she incurred injuries that disfigured her body. As a result, the right side of Mukuro's body is robotic. She won't care if you stare, she is much too used to such behavior to care, but I request that you refrain from doing so."

"I'll do my best," I promised. I looked at my cereal, trying to hide a smile. Hiei had told me not to worry about what Yomi and Mukuro thought of me, but I had a feeling he himself was worried, at least where Mukuro was concerned. If Mukuro found me lacking, she could probably command him to end our courtship. Deciding to see if I was right, I asked, "How much say does Mukuro get in who you mate?"

"None," he answered immediately. "Who I mate is my business, not hers. That being said, things would be far simpler if she approved of my choice, if she approved of you."

A blush flared across my cheeks and I ducked my head, avoiding his eyes. Swallowing hard, I tried to think of something to say. "So, um, do you mind me asking why Mukuro was so against having children? I mean, you were considering mating her, which means that you two were obviously serious about one another. Plus, if you two had children, she would have had a blood heir." Realizing that I was rambling, I closed my mouth and waited for a response.

"It was not a matter of her not wanting children, she is simply unable to do so," Hiei said, choosing his words carefully. "The same injuries that disfigured her body made it impossible for her to have children. She may sleep with a man, but there will never be a chance of her becoming pregnant. We split on friendly terms; she does not hold my desire for children against me. She knows what it is like to be unable to have children and would never wish that fate upon another."

I voiced my next question without thinking, realizing only after I spoke that it might not be something he wanted to answer. "Did you love her?"

"I am not sure I am capable of such an emotion," Hiei replied flatly, though the intensity in his eyes contradicted the lack of feeling in his voice. I forced myself not to react visibly to his words, trying to hide the disappointment I felt.

Could I be in a relationship with someone who could never love me? Pushing the thought from my mind, I stood up and carried my bowl to the sink. Moving toward the kitchen door, I said, "I'm going to see if Keiko or Kuwabara are awake. We need to discuss what to do while your meeting is going on. I'll see you later."

"Hn."

* * *

"You think it would be alright if I go for a run?" I asked Kuwabara. He was sitting on the living room floor, concentrating on his game of solitaire.

"Uh, yeah, I don't see why not," he answered distractedly, his eyes never wavering from the cards in front of him. "With all the demon energy around this place, nothing in the forest would dare attack you."

I glanced at the closed kitchen door behind which was all the demon energy Kuwabara was talking about, not that I could feel any of it. Mukuro, Yomi, and the demons that they brought with them had arrived nearly an hour ago and, after a brief round of introductions, disappeared into the kitchen.

"Alright, well then I'm off for a run. You want to come?"

"Nah, I'll stay here. Have fun."

Rolling my eyes at his laziness, I stood up from my seat on the couch and headed for the front door. I paused in the doorway and got Keiko's attention. She and Yukina had decided to spend the time during the meeting to paint their nails and they had set up shop on the dining room table. "I'm going out for a run."

"Yeah, I heard you and Kuwabara," she said, looking away from Yukina's nails and glancing up at me. "You guys were sitting like five feet away, Shy."

Sticking my tongue out at her, I resumed my walk to the door. "I was just making sure you knew, no need to be mean."

It took all of ten seconds to tug on my shoes and slip out the front door. I jumped the front steps and set out at an easy pace. The grass was wet from the rain and the toes of my sneakers rapidly became wet. I spent the majority of the run leaping puddles and avoiding mud, doing my best to stay as dry and clean as possible.

When I got back to the shrine, I slowed to a walk and raised an eyebrow at what I saw. Kuwabara was seated in the bushes below the kitchen window, his orange hair standing out like a beacon against the green of the foliage around him. He put a finger to his lips when he saw me and motioned for me to come join him.

Trying to stifle my laughter, I approached the bushes and stood in front of him. "May I ask what the hell you're doing?" I whispered, eyeing him as though he had lost his mind.

"Come take a seat," he instructed, patting the ground beside him, "then I'll explain." Humoring him, I slipped between the bushes and sank down onto the mulch. "I got bored," he said, apparently thinking that that cleared up my confusion.

"And how does that explain why you're crouched in a bush?"

"If you would be quiet, we'd be able to hear what they're talking about," he murmured, gesturing to the window above us. Frowning, I fell silent and listened intently. Sure enough, I could everything being said in the kitchen.

"How did you know about this?"

Kuwabara grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, back when the peace negotiations were being worked out I stumbled across this spot and I used to use it to eavesdrop on what they were talking about."

"I'm assuming you weren't allowed into the negotiations either."

"Obviously. If I had been, do you really think I would have participated from the bushes outside the window? Now, be quiet, I'm trying to listen." I did as told, focusing on the voices coming from within the kitchen. It felt like I was doing a lot of eavesdropping of late.

"So, we've decided that Mecca is working for the hebi Epsilon?" That voice sounded like it belonged to Kurama. There was general chorus of agreement and Kurama continued, "And we also agree that the Epsilon was responsible for the trouble in the Makai a few weeks back?"

It took me a fraction of a second to realize what trouble he was talking about. The day I had met Kurama and Hiei, they had been visiting to inform Yusuke about issues in the Makai. After all the crap with Mecca, I had completely forgotten about it.

"Yes, yes, Kurama, we've covered that."

"That's Yomi right?" I asked Kuwabara. He nodded, but made no move to respond vocally.

"Why don't we take a small break to gather our thoughts and begin again in a few minutes," suggested a voice I recognized as Hokushin's. He and some of the other monks had come to advise Yusuke.

"Sounds good," Yusuke said. A murmur of consent followed his comment and there was a slight pause in the conversation.

The silence was broken when Yomi spoke once more. "So, Hiei, I had heard you'd taken yourself a human whore, but, I have to admit, I was expecting more than that mere girl. What was her name again?"

Beside me, Kuwabara stiffened, his hands curling into fists, and a loud snarl sounded from within the kitchen. There was a clink and then the hiss of metal. "What was that?" I asked.

"Katana." Kuwabara's answer was clipped and short, his anger at Yomi barely under control.

Yusuke was the first to speak next. "I would watch what you say, Yomi. This is not the place to insult human woman." There was a slight pause and then Yusuke added, "Besides, Shy's a prude, not a whore."

And just like that the tension was broken. Kuwabara relaxed, shaking his head in amusement. He nudged me slightly with his elbow. "The funny part is that Urameshi thought that was a good way to defend you."

I shrugged, unbothered by Yomi's potentially hurtful words. I was many things, but a whore was not one of them. "Come on," I said, standing up and leaving the bushes. "I say we go get Keiko and Yukina and have some fun."

"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked, eyeing me warily as he followed me toward the shrine.

"I brought some CDs back with me last night. I'm sure we can find a radio to play them with," I answered, grinning as I thought of the song I wanted to play.

"I have a boom box in my room. We can bring it out here if you want."

"Oh, I do."

Twenty minutes later, we had set the portable boom box on the picnic table in the back yard and taken seats at the table. Keiko dealt out cards for a game of four-way war, while I flipped through my stack of CDs, looking for the one I wanted.

"Do you have a song in mind?" Kuwabara asked.

"Of course," I said with a grin. Finding the right CD case, I popped it open and took out the CD. Quickly putting the CD in the boom box and adjusting the volume, I skipped to the right track. "Is this song perfect or what?" I asked Kuwabara as the song started playing.

He grinned. "Utterly appropriate."

"Why is it perfect?"

I quickly explained what we had overheard and waved off Keiko's anger. "I don't care, which is why this song is perfect."

When Keiko still looked confused, I glanced at Kuwabara and asked, "Ready?"

He nodded and together we both sang the lines of the chorus that made the song so appropriate. "Ignore me if you see me 'cause I just don't give a shit."

Keiko stared at us for a second before bursting into laughter. "I'd just like to point out that that was in perfect unison."

"That's because we're awesome," I said, slapping Kuwabara a high five.

Chuckling, Kuwabara reached across me and put the song on repeat, turning the volume up while he was at it. "Let's make sure Yomi gets the message," he said, shooting a glare in the direction of the shrine.

I flipped over my first card and glanced at Keiko. "What makes the song even more perfect is the fact that the first time he heard it, Kuwabara thought the song says, 'the city is a whore place' instead of 'the city is at war.'"

Kuwabara snorted. "I forgot about that."

"Don't worry, I never forget the things you do to embarrass yourself," I told him.

"Thanks, Shy. That's great to know," he muttered sarcastically.

"Anything for you."

* * *

AN: Next chapter Shyle will actually interact with Mukuro and the other visiting demons, so you can look forward to that.

I've received a few reviews now that have asked how to pronounce Shy's name. The best help I can give is that 'Shyle' rhymes with 'Kyle.' I hope that helps anyone who was wondering.

My life has never been as interesting as it has these last few days. Saturday I had that mess with the thunderstorm and on Tuesday I had an equally crazy experience. My friend and I had gone into the city to see a baseball game and we took the train home. We were just sitting on the train, waiting for it to leave, when four Transit Police came onto the train with their guns drawn. They escorted a guy off the train and took a gun from the girl he was sitting with. It turns out someone had seen him with a gun hanging out of his shirt and reported it to the police, who came and arrested him. The train attendant told us that the police looked him up to see if he had any charges against him and there were four warrants out for his arrest. The craziest part is that that police would have shot him if he reached for his shirt. So yeah, that's my crazy story.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Tell me what you think of the chapter. Any guesses on what will happen between Mukuro and Shyle?


	20. Dance Hall Drug

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Will one of you freaking win?" Kuwabara growled, crossing his arms over his chest angrily. It had been over an hour since we'd moved outside and we were in the middle of our third game of war, but there was still no sign of the meeting ending any time soon.

"Just because you were the first one out doesn't mean you have the right to be an asshole," I snapped, flipping over a card. "Keiko's been out for nearly as long as you have and she hasn't complained."

Placing one of her own cards on the table, Yukina said, "I'm sorry, Kazuma. You may play for me if you'd like."

"No, my love. That's alright," Kuwabara answered, dropping his attitude immediately. He smiled at her warmly. "You won that hand."

He was so whipped.

I waited until Yukina had taken her winnings before flipping over my next card. "How long is this meeting going to last?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder at the kitchen.

"Hopefully not too much longer," Keiko said. "I need to start preparing dinner soon."

Even as Keiko spoke, the backdoor opened and Yusuke came bounding out, heading straight for us. Grinning, he plopped down beside me on the bench, forcing me to move over and make room for him. "What's up?"

"Are you okay?" I asked, eyeing the way he bounced up and down in his seat.

"I'm trying to recover from a prolonged bout of seriousness and responsibility. Is there something wrong with that?" he asked, throwing his arm around my shoulders and squeezing me. "By the way, I liked your musical choice."

I snorted. "That's good to hear," I said, patting the boom box that sat on the table top. It was still playing music, though I'd changed the song over an hour ago.

"So, what are you guys playing?" Yusuke asked, gesturing toward our card game.

"They," Kuwabara muttered, stressing the word, "are playing war."

"Stop whining," I warned him.

"What are you going to do if I don't?"

Ignoring his question, I glanced at Yusuke. "What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be in the kitchen, taking part in the meeting you called?"

"Oh, we're done for now," he answered nonchalantly.

"For now?" Keiko asked.

"Yeah. We're taking an extended break and will commence once more in two hours time," Yusuke answered. "Those were Kurama's words, not mine."

Keiko sighed. "They'll be here for dinner?"

"Uh, I guess. Why?"

"I refuse to cook for over twenty people. It just isn't going to happen."

"We can order in," I suggested. "I'm sure our guests would be willing to pitch in for the ridiculous bill."

"Where could we get takeout?" Kuwabara asked.

"I don't know. That little town around the train station?"

Grinning, Yusuke gave my shoulders another squeeze. "That's perfect. For a whore, you're pretty smart."

Kuwabara and I burst into laughter. "How'd you know that we knew?" Kuwabara asked, trying desperately to contain his amusement.

"Your music was a pretty good clue, though I'm probably the only one who understood your not so subtle message. Plus, I already figured Kuwabara was going to listen at the kitchen window."

"How'd you know I was going to eavesdrop?" Kuwabara asked in utter confusion.

"I knew that you used to listen in during the peace negotiations. It wasn't particularly hard to guess that you would do the same thing now. The only thing I don't know is if Shy joined you and heard Yomi firsthand or if you told her."

"I joined him," I replied, grinning sheepishly. Remembering how he had defended me, my smile dropped away and I shot him a dirty look. "Next time you try to protect my honor, don't call me a prude. Got it, asshole?" I growled, smacking him in the shoulder.

"Don't hit me, Shy," he whined, rubbing the place where I had struck him.

Laughter sounded behind us and I twisted around to see that all of the demons had made their way out into the backyard and were laughing at Yusuke. "Being taken to task by a human girl, Yusuke?" Mukuro asked. She stood beside Hiei, who did a good job of keeping his face blank, but I saw his hand clench at his side. I caught his eye and smiled, trying to reassure him that I wasn't bothered.

"Yep," Yusuke answered without turning around.

"Deal me into the next game, okay?" Keiko asked, standing up. "I'm just going inside to get a drink." Once I'd nodded in acknowledgement, she turned and headed for the shrine, moving through the demons as though they weren't there.

"The next game is never going to come," Kuwabara moaned, tugging on his hair.

I rolled my eyes at his childish behavior. "Yukina, do you mind if we start a new game? Your fiancé is driving me insane."

"That is fine with me," she answered, handing me her cards. I shuffled the deck quickly, aware of all of the eyes on our little group.

"Change the song," I told Yusuke, bumping him with my shoulder to make sure he was paying attention.

"First you hit me and now you bump my injury. You're a cruel, cruel girl, Iraheta."

"Shut it," I snapped, laughing at his behavior. I swayed to the music, making sure that I bumped Yusuke's shoulder each time I leaned in his direction. Keiko returned and I started dealing cards out to each person, stopping only once the whole deck was gone.

"How much have you guys accomplished?" I asked, jerking my head back to indicate the demons behind us and flipping over my first card.

"Pretty much nothing. When everyone isn't squabbling over stupid things, they're disagreeing about what we should do. At this point, I can't help but feel that calling them all here was pointless."

"I'm sure you'll work things out," Keiko said, reaching across the table to pat his hand reassuringly.

Kuwabara took the first set of cards, winning the bunch with a king. "Oh, hell yeah. Who is the best war player ever? Kazuma Kuwabara, that's who," he gloated, greedily grabbing the cards off the table.

"Sometimes he worries me," Yusuke whispered in my ear.

"The feeling's mutual."

* * *

I stared at the massive pile of dishes and groaned. Why the hell did I volunteer to clean up after dinner? The takeout had gone over relatively well, but it had required the use of more plates, utensils, and glasses than I had realized. Resisting the urge to sigh, I shoved a lock of hair behind my ear and grabbed the sponge.

I grabbed the first plate and set to work. The shrine didn't have a dishwasher, which meant I would need to wash every dish by hand. The meeting was set to begin in half an hour and I wanted to be done by then. Finished with the first plate, I set it on the drying rack beside the sink and grabbed another. I was going to have to wash a bunch of dishes, dry them once the rack was full, and then wash another set.

The door to the kitchen opened and there was burst of noise from the living room before the door clicked shut once more. "I'd like a water."

I didn't have to turn around to know that the voice belonged to Mukuro. For a fraction of a second, I contemplated stopping what I was doing to get her some water, but in the end I banished the idea. I was busy and, no matter who she was, I wasn't going to let her boss me around. "Water bottles are in the fridge. Feel free to grab yourself one."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm busy and you're perfectly capable of getting yourself a water. It really isn't hard, I promise."

There was a long silence that was finally broken when Mukuro walked to the fridge, laughing softly. I raised an eyebrow. Quite frankly, that wasn't the reaction I'd been expecting. After retrieving a water from the fridge, Mukuro turned to face me. She watched me in silence, speaking only after what felt like an eternity. "You aren't what I imagined you would be."

"Is that a good thing?"

She chuckled and placed her water down on the counter. "Do you need help?"

"With what?" I asked, not sure where that question had come from.

She motioned toward the growing pile of dishes on the drying rack. "I could dry these for you."

Deciding to accept help where I could get, I said, "That would be great. Thanks."

Nodding, Mukuro reached for the towel that hung from a hook on the side of the fridge and picked up a glass. "In answer to your previous question, yes, it is a good thing. I've had few dealings with humans and those I have encountered tended to be shy, timid, and fearful in the presence of demons. You're friends are some of the few exceptions I've ever met. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me that you too would be an exception."

"Oh." It was all I could think of to say and immediately I felt color spread to my cheeks. She had just shown herself to be eloquent and well-spoken, while I had appeared a stuttering idiot.

"Although, it seems I may have spoken too soon," she said good-naturedly.

Finally finding my voice, I said, "I'm sorry, it's just that you caught me off guard."

"Is that a good thing?" There was no mockery in her voice and I wondered at her sudden change in behavior. She had ignored me the entire day, except when using me in an insult or, like with the water, ordering me to get her something, but now she was being cordial and pleasant.

"I'm not really sure. You're sudden attitude change has me confused."

"Well, then it's my turn to apologize," Mukuro said, reaching to pick up yet another dish. "You see, I've spent the day trying to determine how well you would deal with the discrimination you will face from most demons you meet. As I'm sure you have realized, we are an arrogant people, who look down on those weaker than us. I was assessing your ability to deal with insults and disrespect."

"And how'd I do?"

"Far better than any of your friends."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid that even Hiei reacted to not only my own comments, but also those of Yomi and our advisors. On the other hand, you seemed unfazed, as though you hadn't even heard us. I thought for sure Yomi's comments would get to you. Being called a whore is offensive in any culture, yet you remained calm."

I didn't bother to pretend that I didn't know what she was talking about. "How did you know I heard him?"

"I was seated closest to the window. Demon hearing is far superior to that of humans. You and the other human would have needed to be much quieter in order for me not to hear you. I'm sure Yomi would be annoyed to realize that he helped me with his comment," she said, appearing amused by her thoughts.

"How did he help you?"

"As I said, I was testing you and, I must say, you passed with flying colors. If you become Hiei's mate, you will be required to spend time in the Makai, often in the presence of scornful dignitaries. It would not do for you to get flustered and upset. Yomi insulted you, but you were unbothered. If you can withstand the contempt of a demon lord, I'm sure you will be able to handle anything thrown in your face."

I placed the last dish onto the drying rack and squeezed the remaining water out of the sponge. Tossing the sponge into the sink, I grabbed a second towel from the side of the fridge and joined Mukuro in drying the remaining dishes. "So I've passed inspection?"

"I like what I've seen, yes, but the decision really isn't mine. Hiei is courting you; it is his inspection you must pass. I will tell him that you have met my requirements, though I know he would have mated you with or without my permission."

Mukuro studied me for a few seconds in silence. "There is, naturally, one person whose permission does matter."

"Whose?" I asked, unable to hide my confusion.

"Yours," Mukuro replied. "You are aware of that, aren't you?"

I frowned slightly, considering Mukuro's question. Of course, I knew that I had a choice in whether or not we mated. That was the point of dating him, so that I could decide if I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life. Hiei's decision was made, although I wasn't sure what had him convinced I was right for him. I was the one who was unsure. "Yeah, I know that."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I insisted, "I am."

Mukuro dried the last dish and placed it on the counter, before moving to the table and taking a seat. "I simply wish to make sure that you realize that you do indeed have a choice." Mukuro tapped her robotic fingers on the table, seemingly contemplating how to phrase what she said next. Finally, she said, "I want you to understand why your relationship with my heir is so unusual. Hiei has never entered a courtship with the intention of getting mated. He will treat your relationship differently than all those he has previously had."

When I said nothing, Mukuro continued. "Demons treat their potential mates far differently than their lovers. If they begin a courtship knowing that it will end in a mating, they will refrain from sleeping with their potential until the time of their mating. Do you understand what that means?" she asked.

I swallowed hard. "You're saying that Hiei will only sleep with me once we've become mates?"

"In essence, yes."

"In essence?"

"He will mate you, as in leave his mark on your neck, the first time you sleep together. That will be the only time you sleep together without being mates."

"I don't really know all that much about how demon matings or markings work," I admitted, grabbing the stack of plates and returning them to their place in the cabinet.

"I am not the person to ask such questions," Mukuro stated calmly. "I would suggest speaking to Kurama, Yusuke, or even Hiei himself if you have any questions about matings. I'm having this conversation with you because I want to make sure you wait until you are certain that you want to be Hiei's mate before you let him mark you. Do not sleep with him because you want to prove your devotion or make your relationship intimate."

"I wouldn't do that," I said, blushing.

Continuing as though she hadn't heard me, Mukuro said, "Make sure you want to be with Hiei for the rest of your life before you sleep with him. If you are right for him, he will be willing to wait." She stood up smoothly and turned to the door that led out into the living room. "I want Hiei to be happy. Hopefully you want the same." She left the room without another word, leaving me confused as to what had just happened.

She'd been friendly enough, but her parting words seemed laced with a hidden threat. Did she think I wanted to hurt Hiei? Didn't she realize that I would never be his mate if I didn't love him?

Sighing, I finished putting the dishes away and cleaning up the kitchen, making sure it was ready for the meeting. I left the kitchen just as the demons began to make their way back in. Yusuke grinned at me as he passed, Hokushin at his side. Kurama smiled quickly before following Yomi into the room. Hiei was the only one to pause beside me.

"I want to talk with you later," he said, speaking quietly.

"Okay. Is something wrong?"

He shook his head and turned on his heel, closing the kitchen door behind him.

"Thank the gods that they're leaving soon," Kuwabara muttered, throwing himself down on the couch. "I'm really sick of the dirty looks and snide comments."

"Mind games are worse than looks and comments any day," I said, moving his feet and sitting down. Leaning my head back, I stared up at the ceiling and allowed him to put his feet in my lap.

"What do you mean?" Keiko asked from her spot on the loveseat.

"Mukuro helped me dry the dishes and she was really… nice. It was strange and then, right before she left, she threatened me, but didn't really." I sighed. "See? I don't even know what happened."

"What did she say to you?" Kuwabara asked.

"Basically, what I already knew. 'Don't mate Hiei until I'm ready,'" I said, air quoting the sentence.

"How'd she threaten you?"

"It was bizarre. Her words were harmless, but her tone wasn't. She told me that she wants Hiei to be happy and she hopes I want the same."

"Weird," Kuwabara said.

"Yeah, pretty much," I replied. "I'm going to go take a shower since I didn't take once after running. I'll probably go to bed after that." I patted Kuwabara's feet and he lifted them so that I could stand up.

"Goodnight," Keiko murmured, flipping through channels on the television.

"Goodnight. Tell Hiei I'll be in my room, okay?"

"Sure," Kuwabara said, covering a yawn with his hand.

* * *

I flipped the page in my book, glancing at my alarm clock. It was nearly eleven and there was still no sign of Hiei. At this rate, I was going to fall asleep before he came to see me. I blinked hard and rubbed my eyes, trying to ward off sleep. Pushing myself up so that I was sitting instead of lying down, I tried to focus on my book.

It was nearly ten minutes later when I heard voices in the hallway and another fifteen on top of that by the time there was a knock on my door. Laying my book aside, I called, "Come in."

Hiei opened the door and slipped inside, shutting it behind him. He walked toward me and I moved over on my bed, making room for him. I patted the covers, indicating that he could sit down. He took the seat without saying a word. Acting strangely, he wouldn't meet my gaze.

"Hiei, are you alright?" I asked softly.

Ignoring my question, he said, "I will understand if you no longer wish to court me. The others behaved far worse than I had believed they would. You need not face such treatment."

I interrupted him before he could continue. "Don't be silly, Hiei. If we break up, it isn't going to be because of other people. The only way you are going to be able to get rid of me is by driving me away, okay?"

His response caught me off guard. In one quick, fluid movement, he shifted so that he was straddling my waist. My eyes widened and I frowned. "Hiei?"

"You're sure? You don't want to back out now?"

"Yes, firefly. I'm sure."

"Hn." He leaned forward, pressing his lips to mine as his hand reached up to tangle itself in my damp hair. Hiei's free hand gripped my hip and from there slid up under my shirt, splaying across my stomach. I gasped when he bit my bottom lip and he used the opportunity to deepen the kiss further. When he finally broke away, I was out of breath and blushing deeply.

Averting my gaze from his, I fiddled with my blanket. "How was the rest of the meeting?"

"Productive. All areas of the Makai are to be notified that Epsilon is a wanted criminal and Enki will be alerted to what is going on. The hope is that Epsilon will be apprehended and this issue put to rest."

"Is Epsilon powerful?"

"His energy is that of a B class demon," Hiei answered.

"Meaning what?"

"He is not strong. In fact, Mecca, who is an A class demon, is much stronger. But we think that the hebi's class may be misleading."

"Why?" I asked.

"When the shrine was attacked, Yusuke fought Epsilon and was unable to damage the hebi. Why he escaped unharmed we do not know, but we have every intention of finding out."

"Oh." My breath caught in my throat when Hiei leaned forward once more and kissed me softly.

"We can continue this conversation in the morning. For now, I suggest that you go to sleep." Smirking faintly, he added, "We will have a busy day tomorrow."

I bit my lip when I realized what tomorrow was. It would be Friday, the day of our first date. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"You will see." He kissed me one last time before swinging his leg over my waist and standing up. "Goodnight, Shyle."

"Goodnight, firefly. See you in the morning."

"Hn."

* * *

AN: Did Mukuro act like you expected or not? Next chapter is Shyle and Hiei's date so that should be interesting.

I recently got All Time Low's new CD and I absolutely love it. I was listening to it while I wrote this chapter. My favorite song off the CD (excluding Weightless, which I've had for awhile) is Break Your Little Heart. It's kind of sadistic, but it's awesome.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys make my day. Tell me what you thought of this chapter. Where do you think they'll go for dinner?


	21. Five Minutes to Midnight

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Morning," I murmured as I entered the kitchen, barely managing to repress a yawn.

"Good morning," Genkai answered.

"Hn." My head snapped up to find Hiei seated across from Genkai at the kitchen table, watching me, a faint smirk gracing his features. He was dressed in his normal black pants and a crimson muscle shirt, which gave me a very nice view of his arms. I raised an eyebrow at him. Normally, I didn't see him until the end of a run

"What are you doing in here?" I asked, taking a second to admire his biceps.

He stood up from his seat, his smirk broadening. "I'm going to run with you."

"What?" I frowned at him. "Hiei, compared to you I run like a snail. You aren't going to have any fun running with me."

"Hn, I will be fine, Shyle. I assure you."

Deciding to let the argument drop, I waved once at Genkai and turned, heading toward the front door. I pulled my sneakers on quickly and tied them, glancing up at Hiei, who was already wearing his boots. "So what made you decide to run with me all of a sudden?"

He shrugged. "Why should I have to wait to be with you?" I felt myself smile goofily and I glanced away, ducking my head so he couldn't see my blush. That may have been the sweetest thing he had ever said to me. He wanted to go on my run just to spend time with me? How more adorable could he get?

Standing up, I smiled at him. "I won't argue with that," I said, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his lips. I pulled back before he even had a chance to react and opened the door. Hiei followed me, closing the door behind him. I glanced at him once last time before jumping the stairs and starting off at an easy jog. He fell into step beside me, allowing me to set the pace.

We ran in silence and it wasn't long before I forgot Hiei was even running at my side. Running consumed all my thoughts and everything else faded into the background. I stopped at our usual spot and turned to face Hiei. He wasn't out of breath and I realized that the run probably hadn't even been a workout for him.

Looking at him, I suddenly realized that this was the first morning that I had run since we'd gotten together. I frowned slightly, unsure of what was about to happen. Were we still going to ask one another questions or was that over now that our relationship had changed. "Are we still playing that question game?" I asked, hesitantly.

"I don't see why we shouldn't," Hiei stated calmly. He glanced up at the tree branch where he normally sat and then back at me. I didn't even see him move, but one second my feet were on the ground and the next they weren't. With me securely in his arms, Hiei jumped into the tree, landing on the branch he had been eyeing. It took him only a second to settle into a sitting position, shifting me so that I was seated in his lap.

I let out the breath I'd been holding and whacked him solidly in the arm. "Don't do that!" I snapped. "You scared the crap out of me." I glanced at the ground below us and swallowed hard. I leaned back into him, pressing my back against his chest.

Hiei seemed to pick up on my nerves. "Are you scared of heights?" he asked, barely containing his laughter.

"Shut up! It's not funny." Despite my words, Hiei's chest vibrated with his laughter. The branch swayed as his body shook with mirth and I grabbed at the fabric of his pants frantically. "Knock it off," I begged.

Still chuckling, Hiei grabbed my hips. "Let go of my pants," he instructed.

"What? No!"

"Shyle, let go. I am going to turn you around."

"You swear you won't drop me?"

"I swear," Hiei promised. Squeezing my eyes shut, I unclenched my hands and waited. Hiei turned me around in one smooth move, positioning me so that I was facing him, a leg on either side of his waist. He wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me firmly in place. I leaned forward, pressing my face into the crook of his neck, and took a deep breath. "You're scared of heights," Hiei muttered, more to himself than to me. He still sounded amused and I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

"I really don't see why you find this funny."

"I was unprepared for your fear," he said. He paused for a few seconds, considering something, before continuing. "For that matter, I think this may be the first time I've seen you afraid."

I shook my head and leaned back slightly so that I could look him in the eye. "No, that's not true. I was scared shitless after Mecca attacked me." Hiei flinched and I realized that he must still be upset about what he had done to me. "Hiei, I told you not to worry about hurting me. It was an accident, okay? Please let it go."

"You don't understand, do you?" he asked, his eyes slightly accusing. "I am stronger than you. If I let my emotions get the better of me, I could seriously hurt you."

I shrugged. "Why don't we worry about that when it happens? You'll probably never slip up again." Considering how upset he was over this, I doubted he would ever forget to be careful again.

"Hn."

I rolled my eyes, but accepted his answer. "So, um, whose turn was it to ask questions?"

"Yours, I believe."

Smiling, I lay my head against his chest and trailed a finger along his arm, tracing the muscles. I racked my brain for a question, trying to think of something worth asking. "Will you at least give a hint of where we're going tonight? I need to know how to dress."

"It's in the city. You will need to dress nicely."

Grinning slightly, I decided to tease him. "Is there anything in particular you want me to wear?"

I could tell he wasn't amused. "You are perfectly capable of dressing yourself."

"Yeah, but I want to wear something you'll like," I said, no longer teasing. I truly did want to dress in a way that he would like. I always thought he looked sexy as all hell and I wanted him to feel the same way about me. Praying he wouldn't laugh at me, I asked, "Could you come to my room and pick something out? That way I would know for sure that it was appropriate."

He sighed, but consented. "If it's so important to you, then yes, I will help you." Glad that he had agreed, I pressed a quick kiss to the exposed skin of his shoulder and giggled when he growled slightly.

"Did you like that?" I asked, teasing him once more.

"Hn." Not liking his answer, I pressed another kiss to his skin, this time on his collarbone. "We are in a tree twenty feet off the ground and you fear heights. I suggest you stop before you get yourself in over your head."

"Okay, okay. No need to threaten me," I said, leaning back to look him in the eyes. "So, my next question… If we're going into the city, are we going to come back here or stay in the city?"

"I was thinking we could stay in your apartment."

"Sure," I said. "Your turn, firefly."

"Will you wear your hair down tonight?"

"What?"

"If I get to pick your outfit, it makes sense that I get to pick your hairstyle," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Um, sure, if you want me to. Do you want me to wear it straight or curly?"

"Surprise me."

* * *

"Yusuke Urameshi, if you don't open this door right now, I will kick it down," I threatened, pounding on the bathroom door. I was dressed in the black skirt and indigo top that Hiei had picked out and my hair was piled up in a wet bun, waiting to be dried and straightened. "Damn it, Yusuke! Open the door!"

"Jeeze, who pissed you off?" he asked, opening the door.

"You did, asshole," I snapped, shoving past him into the room and taking my hair out of its elastic. I plugged in my blow-dryer and flatiron, balancing it on the edge of the bathtub. "You take longer in the bathroom than most girls I know," I muttered, flipping my head upside down and beginning to dry my hair.

He grumbled something that I couldn't understand over the noise of the blow-dryer and kicked the door shut. It appeared that he had just gotten out of the shower. His hair was still wet and he was clad only in a pair of jeans. We both worked in silence, each trying to get our hair to behave. I was finished drying my hair before he had finished gelling his into submission.

He shot me an annoyed look. "You're going to try to take over some sink space, aren't you?"

"Yup. I need to see the mirror." I unplugged my blow-dryer and placed it on the back of the toilet. Grabbing my flatiron, I set to work straightening my hair. "If it takes so much work, why bother with the gel?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, gesturing toward my flatiron.

"Hiei's never seen me with straight hair. I want to see if he likes it."

Yusuke groaned. "Is having a boyfriend going to make you all girly?"

"Oh, shut up," I snapped, laughing at him.

He rolled his eyes at me. "It's a valid concern." Flipping shut the cover to his tube of hair gel, he place it on the counter and turned on the sink, starting to wash his hands. He turned the water off and, turning to me, flicked the water off his hands at me.

"Yusuke!" I screeched. "If you get my hair wet, it'll curl, you ass." I threatened him with my flatiron and kicked him in the shin while he was distracted.

"Shit! Shy, that hurt," he whined.

"Shut up and get out," I barked, shoving him toward the door with my free hand. He shot me a dirty look, but moved toward the door. He opened it and prepared to leave the room, but froze on the spot, staring at the crowd of onlookers that had gathered in the hallway.

"What the hell is going on in there?" Kuwabara asked, peering into the room. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt, Urameshi?"

"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing," Keiko added. Kurama nodded from his spot behind Keiko.

"Iraheta was admiring my abs," Yusuke answered cockily.

"Get out," I snapped, kicking Yusuke in the lower calf. He yelped in surprise and darted out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. "Idiot," I muttered.

* * *

"Hiei, I'm telling you, I can drive. We don't have to get a taxi."

The fire demon ignored me and continued to try and hail a cab. A taxi finally stopped beside us and he stepped forward, opening the door. Leaning inside he said something to the driver and then stepped back, allowing me to slide inside. He followed me in and pulled the door shut behind him.

When the driver pulled out into traffic without asking where we were going, I realized that Hiei had told him our destination when he had leaned inside the cab. "You're really going out of your way to keep this a secret, huh?"

"Hn."

I giggled and leaned against him, resting my head on his shoulder. I'd sat in the middle seat rather than sliding all the way over. It was strange to think that sitting beside him had made me uncomfortable not too long ago. "So you're not even going to give me a hint?"

"No, I'm not. We will be there in a few minutes. You can wait until then." He paused and, as an afterthought, added, "Don't get overly excited. It's nothing spectacular."

I didn't answer, opting to instead study the places we were pacing. I felt like I should have recognized where we were, like I'd been there recently, but for the life of me I couldn't place it. Groaning in frustration, I tugged on a lock of my hair. Hiei reached up and pulled my hand away. "Don't," he chided.

Sitting up, I glanced at him. "I meant to ask you. Do you like my hair straight?"

He studied me, his hand reaching up to brush a lock back behind my ear. "Yes, very much so."

I bit my lip and looked away, feeling a blush spread across my cheeks. "Well, um, don't get used to it. Straightening my hair takes forever."

He smirked. "I like your hair curly as well."

"Good," I muttered. "Because that's how it's going to be most of the time."

The car ride passed quickly thanks to the idle chitchat that we maintained, but I was eager to get where ever it was that we were going. And not just because I wanted to figure out where it was Hiei was taking me. He had promised to explain about his past and I had every intention of holding him to that promise. Plus, I had a hundred other questions I wanted to ask him. Some were simple, others weren't, but I wanted answers to all of them.

It wasn't until the car pulled into the restaurant's parking lot that I realized where Hiei was taking me. The car parked and Hiei climbed out. I followed him, unable to stop a fit of giggles from taking over me. We were at the same restaurant we had come to with the others the night we all stayed in my apartment.

Hiei paid the taxi driver and I raised an eyebrow. I hadn't known that he knew how to use human money. He turned toward the restaurant and, wrapping an arm around my waist, started for the front doors.

Still giggling, I asked, "Did you bring me here to show Daisuke that I'm dating you now?" I remembered all the growling Hiei had done last time we were here and I broke into a fresh set of giggles.

"I brought you here because I knew you liked the food. Showing that human that you're mine is simply a benefit."

I had my giggles under control by the time that we stepped up to the maitre'd station. "How many?" she asked.

"Reservations for two," Hiei answered.

"Name, please," she requested, her pen poised over a list of names.

"Jaganshi."

Her pen darted down, crossing out the name on the list. She picked up to menus and smiled at us. "Right this way." We followed her through the restaurant to a quiet corner in the back. She placed the menus on the table and waited for us to take our seats. "Your waiter will be with you in a moment. Have a nice night."

"Thanks," I said as she turned and walked back the way we had come. Turning my gaze to Hiei, I said, "You do know that Daisuke may not be our waiter."

"Hn," Hiei answered, picking up his menu and beginning to scan it. Fighting off another round of giggles, I followed his lead and opened my own menu. We remained in a comfortable silence for a few minutes while we each tried to decide on a meal.

I saw our waiter coming out of the corner of my eye and I grinned. Kicking Hiei under the table, I nodded my head toward our waiter. Hiei looked up and smirked confidently.

Daisuke stopped at our table and smiled politely. If he recognized us, he didn't say anything. "Good evening. My name is Daisuke and I'll be your server tonight. What would you like to drink?"

"Water," Hiei said curtly, staring Daisuke down threateningly.

Trying not to laugh at Hiei's behavior, I said, "I'll have a Sprite, please."

"Sure thing," he answered, quickly writing down our requests on a small pad of paper. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders." Inclining his head in a polite nod, he turned and made his way toward the kitchen.

Grinning at Hiei, I put my menu down and waited for him to decide what he wanted. He glanced at me and, seeing that I had already decided on something, closed his menu and placed it on table. "I don't even think he remembers us, Hiei," I told him.

"He does," Hiei replied, smirking at my skeptic look.

"Oh, really? What makes you so confident?"

He tapped the white strip of cloth that covered his Jagan. "I checked."

I couldn't stop my burst of laughter. "Hiei, you read his mind?" I whispered disbelievingly.

"Hn."

I waited until we had given Daisuke our orders to start asking Hiei my questions. Shifting in my seat, I leaned forward and met Hiei's gaze. "Alright, you promised to tell me about your past, remember?"

"Would you like the whole story?" he asked, taking a sip of his water.

"Yes, please."

He nodded and began to explain, starting with his birth and how it made him an outcast. He spoke about being thrown from the floating island of the ice apparitions and his time spent with the bandits. He touched only briefly on how he acquired the Jagan and then explained that he had used the third eye to find his mother's people. His eyes grew angry when he told me about his encounter with his mother's best friend, but they softened when he spoke of Yukina and his search to find her. He concluded with how he met Kurama and stole three artifacts from the Reikai, which was how he first encountered Yusuke.

His story took longer than I had expected and by the time he had finished we were nearly done with our meals. When he fell silent, I took my time to consider what he had said. I wanted to make sure he understood that nothing in his past bothered me. It didn't matter that he was once a thief or that he had killed others.

Smiling at him reassuringly, I reached across the table and laid my hand over his. "Hiei," I waited until he met my gaze before continuing. "Thank you for telling me everything. It means a lot that you can trust me with your past."

He watched me in silence for a few long moments before nodding his head. "None of it upsets you."

I shook my head. "Hiei, you did what your life demanded of you. It would be stupid of me to dislike you for what you had to do to survive. On the other hand, I think it was good of you not to kill the ice apparitions. You deserved revenge and you didn't take it, which speaks wonders for your character."

He scowled at me. "Don't make me sound like a hero," he growled.

"Did I strike a nerve?" I asked, allowing myself a mischievous grin.

"Hn." He returned his attention to his food.

I let him eat in silence for a few seconds before asking my next question. "Hiei, what is it about me that you like?"

"What do you mean?"

"What is it about me that drew your attention, that made you think you would want to spend the rest of your life with me?" I expanded on my previous question.

"You didn't cry when Mecca attacked you."

His answer was so matter-of-fact that I barely realized he'd given one. "Really?"

"Yes," he answered. "Most girls I've ever known were skittish and emotional. You were not." He paused for a long time. "I realized that you could be worth pursuing when you asked me not to read your mind. It was a brave thing to ask, especially considering how little you knew about me." He shrugged and met my gaze. "After that, it was your question game that convinced me."

"Oh," I said, surprised at how long his answer was. "So, are we having dessert?" I asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

He chuckled and answered, "If you want dessert, then yes, we are."

"Good to hear."

* * *

I fiddled with my key, trying to get it into the lock. "Damn it," I muttered. The light nearest my apartment door was out and I couldn't see anything. I jumped when Hiei's hand closed over mine and guided it to the lock. "Thanks," I murmured as the key slid in and the door unlocked.

"Hn, my eyesight is better than yours in the dark."

"No need to brag." I slipped inside my apartment and flicked on the light, kicking off my shoes. Moving into the living room, I came to a sudden stop. Did Hiei plan to sleep in my bed?

Last time we had been here we had shared the air mattress, but sharing a bed this time would be different. We hadn't been dating the first time and if we shared a bed now, it would be a major step in our relationship. A step I wasn't sure I was read for.

"Um, Hiei?" I couldn't believe I was going to ask him this.

"Yes," he answered. He had closed the door and was in the process of removing his boots.

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"The couch," he said immediately. Glancing up at me, he seemed to realize what I had been thinking. He approached me and turned me around, pulling me to him. "I told you I was going to do this right. I won't share your bed until you are comfortable with the idea."

I breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed against him. "So, you'll wait until I ask you to sleep in my bed?"

"Yes. The only reason I am staying in your apartment at all is for your safety."

Content that he was willing to wait, I stood on tiptoe and kissed him. I pulled away a few seconds later and turned to look at the couch. "Do you want to pull it out?"

"No, it is fine as it is."

"Alright, but I'll still need to get you a blanket and pillow." I started toward my bedroom only to stop once more. "You don't have anything to sleep in, do you?" I asked with a frown.

"I will sleep in my boxers."

My cheeks flushed red and I was glad I wasn't facing him. "Okay, that works. Um, you'll need a toothbrush, right?"

"Hn."

"There are some new ones in the bathroom closet. Feel free to help yourself."

Twenty minutes later, we both stood in my bedroom doorway. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he kissed me softly. "I enjoyed our first date," I murmured against his lips.

"As did I."

I giggled. "Where are you taking me next?"

"You may choose," he muttered, pressing my back into the doorframe. His next kiss left me breathless and blushing. He pulled away from me and stepped back. "Goodnight, Shyle."

"Goodnight, firefly."

* * *

AN: The ending was awful similar to last chapter, huh? I didn't mean for that to happen, it just did.

I've decided that uber long chapters are annoying. I'm reading a Tamora Pierce fanfiction that had a 30,000 word chapter. That's freaking ridiculous. It's over a third of this story. This is my longest chapter so far and it's just over 4,000 words.

I'm going to be visiting Columbia University on Thursday and Friday, so I probably won't be able to update until Friday or Saturday. Sorry.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed. Last chapter was my most reviewed chapter yet (thirteen reviews), which is exciting. Tell me what you thought of their date. Did the location surprise you or were you expecting it?


	22. Lose It

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"That stupid light needs to be fixed," I muttered, my frustration leaking into my voice. I fiddled with my key, cursing under my breath when I couldn't get it into the lock.

"Do you need me to open it?" Hiei asked, his smirk evident in his voice.

The key finally slid in and I turned it, unlocking the door and entering my apartment. "Nope, I got it." Kicking off my flip flops, I dropped my duffel bag on the floor and turned to look at Hiei. "Welcome to your new home, firefly."

"Hn." He moved past me, dragging my suitcase. His own duffel bag was thrown carelessly over his shoulder. "Where should I put these?" he asked.

"My room," I answered. Grabbing my bag off the floor, I followed Hiei as he headed for my bedroom.

"You're sure you want me to sleep in your bed?"

Did he have to put it so bluntly? That we were going to be living together was a major step on its own. Sharing a bed was pushing my limits. But I wanted to prove to Hiei that I was serious about him. I didn't count living together as a show of my devotion. Hiei was moving in with me to provide me with protection, which didn't have anything to do with our relationship.

It had been nearly two weeks since our first date and Yusuke had decided that the lack of information about Epsilon and Mecca meant that we didn't need to isolate ourselves at Genkai's anymore. Even with Mukuro and Yomi helping us, there had been no word about Epsilon's activities. For that matter, there had been no word about Epsilon period. It was as though the hebi and his followers had disappeared from all three worlds.

Yusuke's decision to leave the shrine was also influenced by his best friend. With his wedding rapidly approaching, Kuwabara felt it was necessary that he return to the city. He needed to finalize a few wedding details and he was hoping to have found and moved into a suitable apartment before he became Yukina's husband. They would be living together in the city, an idea that Hiei wasn't very thrilled about, but I thought it would be good for them.

Once Hiei had volunteered himself as my bodyguard, there was nothing preventing us from leaving Genkai's and I'd insisted on coming home as soon as possible. The others wouldn't be returning to the city until the next morning, but Hiei had agreed to come with me early.

The sound of Hiei dropping his bag on the floor pulled me out of my thoughts. "I wouldn't have asked you to if I wasn't," I assured him. He eyed me for a second longer, no doubt making sure I wasn't lying to him. I rolled my eyes at his behavior. "Don't you have stuff to unpack?"

"Don't you?"

"You're annoying when you act like a smartass," I said, plopping my duffel bag down on my bed and unzipping it. I tossed the laundry that I hadn't washed before we left Genkai's into a pile on the floor, leaving only my clean clothes to be put away. "You can just put your dirty laundry with mine. The washers and dryers are in the basement, so I'm going to wait until tomorrow to wash everything."

Hiei didn't respond, but I saw him toss a pair of pants onto my growing pile and I knew he had heard me. "Normally I'm neater than this, but right now I'm way too tired to care," I informed him, trying to justify the mess I was creating.

"You need not explain to me the way you live. I saw your room at Genkai's. I know how you keep your things."

"Oh, right," I muttered sheepishly. Finished emptying out my duffel bag, I threw it in my closet and grabbed my suitcase, lying it down on my bed. It took me far less time to empty out my suitcase, which contained very few clothes. I placed the bag containing my toiletries to the side and lobbed my sneakers into the hallway. I needed to put them by the front door, but I was too lazy to bring them there. Having emptied my entire suitcase, I returned it to its spot in my closet and picked up my toiletries bag.

Hiei followed me into the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe as I put all of my things away. "You don't have anything to put in here?" I asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Unless you've thrown out my toothbrush from a few weeks ago, no, I don't."

Frowning slightly, I returned my shampoo and conditioner to their spots in the shower. "You don't have a razor or anything? Don't you need to shave?"

"No. Many demon species do not grow facial hair."

"Weird," I said as I slid my toothbrush into the holder beside his. It was strange to see the two toothbrushes side by side. I'd never lived with a boyfriend before. Besides my dad, I'd never even lived with a guy before and the toothbrushes were a sign that my life was changing.

That train of thought reminded me of a question I had been meaning to ask him. "Hiei, what would you say to the idea of meeting my parents?"

Startled, he stiffened faintly. "You want me to meet them?"

I shrugged. "You want me to be your mate, which means we're already in a serious relationship. I might as well introduce you to them now. At least this way, you'll know what you're getting into," I joked.

"I would be honored to meet your parents." My stomach did a little flip-flop at his words. Smiling at him shyly, I tossed my toiletries bag into the bathroom closet and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"I'll call them tomorrow." Turning my back on the fire demon, I grabbed my toothbrush and began to prepare for bed. I hadn't lied when I said I was tired and I couldn't wait to climb under the covers. Hiei joined me at the sink, picking up his own toothbrush. I spit and rinsed my mouth before putting my toothbrush back in its holder. Pulling my hair elastic out, I finger combed my hair and made my way back into my room. "Give me a second to change, okay?"

I took his grunt as a sign of assent and closed the door. My dirty clothes joined the pile on the floor and I quickly tugged on a pair of shorts. I paused with my tank top in my hands, wondering if I should wear a sports bra or not. Swallowing hard and fighting a blush, I slipped the tank top on without putting on a sports bra.

I opened the door and headed toward my bed. "I'm done," I called, folding back the covers and sliding beneath them.

Hiei appeared in the doorway a second later. He studied me and then smirked. In one smooth, fluid move, he pulled his shirt over his head. My eyes widened as he undid his belt and stepped out of his pants. Clad only in his boxers, he joined me in the bed, climbing under the covers.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. Giggling, I turned around and snuggled against him. I ran my fingers gently down his arm, barely touching the skin, smiling when goosebumps appeared on his flesh. He growled low in his throat and I stopped.

Suppressing a sigh, I closed my eyes and told myself not to be upset. I'd come to learn that a growl wasn't a good sign. When Hiei growled, he was signaling that he wanted me to stop, that whatever I was doing was off limits. I was sure that he was only looking out for me, but that didn't me feel any better about it. As Mukuro had said, he was taking his time, making sure I was ready before he took things too far.

Still, I didn't see how touching him or kissing him for more than twenty seconds could possibly be too much for his control.

Hiei seemed to sense the change in my mood and his fingers curled around my chin, lifting it and forcing me to meet his gaze. "Shyle, do not be upset. Just lying here tests my restraint." He paused and I waited impatiently for what he was going to say next. "You are my potential mate and you will remain that way until I am sure you are ready for something more."

"I don't get how lying beside me could possibly be too much for you."

"That is because you do not understand the effect you have on me," he replied. "Go to sleep, Shyle. We can talk more in the morning if need be." He pressed a kiss to my forehead and moved to turn off the light on my bedside table.

* * *

Covering a yawn with my hand, I grabbed the phone off the kitchen counter and dialed myparents' number. I tilted my head so that I could hold the phone between my shoulder and ear, listening as it rang.

I moved around the kitchen, trying to find something to eat. Finding nothing, I made a mental note that I would need to visit the supermarket very soon. Someone finally picked up on the other end and I breathed a relieved sigh. "Hello?"

I rolled my eyes. My dad always made the greeting sound like a question. "Morning, Dad."

"Oh, Shy, it's you. What has you calling so early in the morning?"

"Nine isn't early."

"Hm, very true. Regardless, I assume this call has a point."

Glancing into the living room where Hiei was seated on the couch watching the news, I allowed myself a smile. "Yeah, it does. I was wondering if you would mind if I brought someone over for dinner."

"When did you have in mind?"

"Would tonight work?"

"I'll have to ask your mother. Give me a second."

"Sure thing, Daddy." I heard him put the phone down and I pressed my own phone to my shoulder. "Tonight is okay for you, right?" I asked Hiei.

He answered without out turning around to look at me. "Yes. I had no plans."

"Okay," I said, returning the phone to my ear just as my father picked up his phone. "Well, what did Mom say?"

"She would be thrilled to have you and your friend over. Do you have any dinner preferences?"

"Nope. We'll love anything she makes."

"She's been experimenting with some new recipes recently. Would you mind spaghetti?"

"That sounds good, actually," I said. "What time should we come over?"

"Around six?"

"I asked you, Dad."

"Right, right. Come around six," he instructed, intentionally sounding overly authoritative.

"I'll see you tonight," I said, laughing at him. "Love you, Daddy."

"Love you too, Shy. See you later."

I hung up and returned the phone to its charger. "There's no food here, so do you want to go get breakfast somewhere. I know this really good place near here. It's like a ten minute walk."

"Hn," he answered, standing up and moving to grab his jacket.

I headed to the door and slipped on my flip flops. Neither of us had brought up our conversation from the night before and I wasn't eager to do so. I wasn't sure how I felt about Hiei's restraint, despite the fact that it was good intentioned. I couldn't help but feel like he didn't find me attractive.

Shaking my head, I reached for the doorknob, eager to get outside and do something to distract me. Hiei surprised me by pulling me to him and kissing me deeply, his tongue working magic on me. "I apologize for last night," he murmured against my lips. How was it that he knew exactly what I had just been thinking about? "It is far easier to control myself when we are not in your bed."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really." He kissed me once more, before releasing me and opening the door. "Lead the way."

"As you wish, firefly," I teased, darting past him to the door that led to the stairs. He followed me into the stairwell and we started down the first flight side by side.

"Why do you insist on taking the stairs?"

"I don't know. I haven't taken the elevator since the day I moved in and it doesn't make sense to start now. Why? Do you want to take the elevator?"

"No, the stairs are fine with me. I was simply wondering why you would prefer stairs. I remember a time when you complained about a set of stairs." My thoughts flashed to the time in question and I blushed. He was referring to the night I had told my parents about demons, the night that I unintentionally hurt him.

"Yeah, um, I was tired and it was late. Plus, those stairs are way longer than these are." We exited the stairwell and made our way through the building's lobby, heading outside and walking down the street. "Will meeting my parents make you nervous?"

"Hn. I have fought demons many times stronger than me and risked my life more times than I care to remember. Your parents are not very frightening."

"You only say that because you haven't met my mom."

He chuckled, but chose not to respond. We walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. At some point I entwined my fingers with his, but neither of us spoke. When we entered the small diner, I smiled at the woman in charge of seating.

She led us to a booth and informed us that our server would be with us in a minute. I didn't bother opening my menu since I always ordered the same thing, but I watched as Hiei opened his. He studied his menu, his eyes roving over the pages.

The diner didn't serve classic Japanese food and I realized that Hiei probably didn't know what anything was. Tugging his menu out of his hands, I grinned at him. "I'll order for you, okay?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, he narrowed his eyes. "Hn."

Our waitress arrived at our table, a writing pad in one hand. "Good morning. What would you like to drink?"

"A water," Hiei said, still eyeing me intently. Was he worried he wouldn't like what I ordered?

"Orange juice, please."

"With or without pulp?"

"Without."

"Okay," she said, scribbling on her pad. Glancing up once more, she asked, "Are you ready to order?"

"Yep. Two Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream and two sides of bacon."

"Is that all?"

I glanced at Hiei. "Do you want hash browns?" When he made no move to answer, I elaborated, "They're potatoes."

"Hn."

"And a side of hash browns," I told our waitress.

"Alright, I'll be right back with your drinks." She picked up our menus and left.

I leaned forward in my seat, grinning at Hiei. "You'll like it, I promise. Belgian waffles are freaking awesome."

"So you say," he muttered. I stuck my tongue out at him and kicked his shin under the table. His eyes darted to my lips and I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly embarrassed. Hiei spoke after a long moment of silence. "Are you going to go for a run today?"

He'd been running with me everyday, though I didn't see what he could possibly enjoy about running at my pace. "Probably not today. I have to go food shopping and do our laundry, so I won't have a lot of time."

"I will come with you to the supermarket." At my questioning look, he added, "You will need protection."

"Right, I keep forgetting about that."

Our waitress returned with our drinks and told us that our food should be ready in a few minutes. I watched her leave. Glancing back at Hiei, I frowned when I saw that he was drinking my orange juice. "Hey," I snapped, reaching out and grabbing the glass from him. "That's mine. You should have ordered your own if you didn't want water."

He smirked at me and leaned back in his seat, a self-satisfied look on his face. Glaring at him, I took a sip and placed the glass back down, making sure it was safely out of his reach.

"Anyway, back to what we were talking about before. I might go for a run after dinner with my parents, depending on what time we get home. Would you come if I did?"

He nodded. "Yes, I would."

We chatted idly until our food came. Our waitress placed our plates before us and assured us to get her attention if we needed anything. I giggled when Hiei eyed his food uncertainly.

Grabbing the container of syrup, I leaned forward and poured it over his waffle. "Come on, firefly. Try it."

He watched me as I prepared my own waffle, drenching it with syrup and cutting it into bite size pieces. Meeting his gaze, I popped a piece into my mouth and chewed. Frowning, he picked up his fork and knife and cut himself a piece of his waffle. I snacked on a strip of bacon while I waited for him to try it.

Hesitantly, he raised his fork to his mouth and took a bite of the waffle. His eyes widened and he hastily cut another piece. Laughing at him, I focused on my own meal. We ate in companionable silence. Hiei was so absorbed by his waffle that he barely spared me a glance.

Once he had finished with his waffle, he took a share of hash browns and started to eat at a more reasonable pace. "You like it?"

"Hn. Don't gloat. It's unattractive."

"So is stuffing your face." He paused, his fork halfway to his mouth, and glared at me. I held up my hands in surrender and muttered an apology. "I was just making a point. No need to get all huffy. Are you going to eat your bacon?" I asked, noting that the plate of bacon sat untouched.

"No."

"Can I have yours then? I love bacon."

"Go ahead," he said, pushing the plate toward me.

When we left the diner twenty minutes later, I was full and content. I took his hand, slipping my fingers between his, and rested my head against his shoulder.

I spent the rest of the morning doing laundry, Hiei lurking behind my shoulder the entire time. Our trip to the supermarket was entertaining. Hiei clearly had little experience with food shopping and he vowed that he would never accompany me again, proclaiming that Kurama or Kuwabara would be able to provide me with protection on any future trips.

* * *

I messed with his shirt collar, trying to get it to sit flat. Hiei had allowed me to pick out his outfit, which I had been grateful for. His normal, all black attire would not be appropriate for meeting my parents.

"It is fine, Shyle," Hiei muttered, clearly exasperated. He pushed my hands away gently and gave me a once over, causing me to blush. "Your skirt is twisted."

"Oh, thanks," I mumbled, straightening it. I slipped on a pair of flats and waited for Hiei to grab our jackets. He handed me mine and guided me out the door, pulling it closed behind him.

"You are far too nervous."

"Yeah, well, I have to make up for you. Just because you have nerves of steel doesn't mean I do." We took the stairs once more and headed toward my car. I unlocked the door and climbed into the driver's seat as Hiei settled himself in the passenger's seat.

I talked the entire ride, trying to fill the silence and distract myself from my nerves. If it was possible, I was more nervous this time than I had been when I told my parents about demons. I parked in my parents' driveway, but didn't get out of the car.

Gripping the steering wheel tightly, I took a deep breath. "Let's go," Hiei said, opening his door and stepping out. I closed my eyes tightly.

"Please let this go well," I whispered as I took a hold of the door handle. "Don't scare him off." It wasn't as though my parents could hear me, but it made me feel better all the same.

"Are you alright?" Hiei asked, his voice slightly worried.

"Yeah, perfectly fine."

* * *

AN: I feel really guilty that it took me five days to update, which is silly since most people take much longer, but whatever. Although, now that I think about it, maybe I should take this long more often. Nineteen reviews?!? That's freaking awesome. It blows thirteen out of the water, that's for sure.

Anyway, I loved Columbia University. The campus is gorgeous and I liked the core curriculum they have. My sister ended up coming with my mom and I and the three of us had a lot of fun.

My AP scores finally came. I got a five on both, which is wicked exciting. I literally screamed when I saw my scores. I'm pretty sure I scared the crap out of my dogs, but who cares.

So, yeah, thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. You guys are incredibly awesome. Would it be possible to get twenty reviews this time around?


	23. Panic

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

Hiei followed me down the path to my parents' front door, his presence helping to calm my nerves. I stopped on the front steps, my hand poised to turn the doorknob, and forced myself to relax. A hand pressed against my lower back and Hiei's breath felt hot against my ear. "Open it, Shyle," he instructed.

"Right," I mumbled, praying my nerves didn't leak into my voice. I gripped the knob and pushed the door open, stepping inside. Hiei followed me, pulling the door shut behind him.

Slipping off my flats, I called, "We're here."

My dad appeared in the doorway to his office, a smile spreading across his face. "Perfectly on time," he said, glancing at his watch. "You're mother was hoping you would be late."

"Why?" I asked, moving forward and wrapping him in a hug. His arms tightened around me, giving me a brief squeeze.

"She was running late coming home from work and only just started cooking." My dad released me and turned his attention to Hiei, who had shed his shoes and was watching us greet one another. "Are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Um, well, yeah…" I trailed off, not entirely sure how to proceed. How does one go about introducing their parents to their boyfriend?

Hiei came forward, sparing me any further confusion. "My name is Hiei Jaganshi and I am dating your daughter."

My dad froze, staring uncomprehendingly at the hand Hiei had extended. Slowly he reached out and took hold of Hiei's hand, shaking it firmly. "Nice to meet you, Hiei." Letting go of Hiei's hand, my father turned his gaze to me. "Your mother is in the kitchen, Shy. Why don't you go see if she needs your help with anything? I'll take Hiei into the living room." He strode quickly to the door that led to the living room and disappeared through it.

I smiled at my dad's flustered behavior. Shaking my head, I glanced at Hiei. "Thanks for introducing yourself."

"Hn, it wasn't hard. Go see your mother."

"You're okay with being one on one with my dad?"

He nodded and turned toward the living room door. Something about the way his shoulders were set seemed to belie his apparent calm. Knowing he was a big boy and could handle himself, I headed for the kitchen and my mother. Without Hiei, I would need to explain that I had brought my boyfriend on my own.

The idea was daunting.

"Hi, Mom," I greeted, seeing her standing at the sink, filling a pot with water.

She glanced over her shoulder at me and smiled. "Hello, Shy. Where's your friend?"

"Um, Hiei's with Dad in the living room." A crock pot sat on the counter and I moved toward it under the pretense of checking its contents. Truly, I was trying to buy myself time, trying to figure out how to explain that I was dating my supposed 'friend'.

My mother turned around completely, wiping her hands on her apron. "I hope that spaghetti sauce comes out right. Your father told you what we were having, didn't he?"

"Yep. I'm sure everything will be perfect," I assured her.

She nodded and picked up the pot, walking toward the stove. "Did you say your friend's name was Hiei?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Wasn't that the name of one of the demons that accompanied you here last time?" she asked, setting the pot down and lighting the burner. She seemed distracted by her cooking and I decided there wouldn't be a better time to tell her about Hiei.

"Yeah, actually, it's the same guy. Hiei and I are, um… well, we're dating."

"Oh, is that so?" She turned to face me once again and laughed lightly. "It's interesting that you would say that since you assured me you would never date either of the two that accompanied you."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "At the time, I had thought for sure that I wouldn't."

"What changed?"

"Everything," I said, blushing faintly.

"I take it you're serious about this boy. After all, you wouldn't have brought him here if you weren't. Would you mind setting the table?"

"Sure." I started for the cabinet that contained the plates and tried to figure out how to answer her. "I guess you could say that we're serious."

"You guess?"

"Mhmm." Carrying the plates to the table, I said, "I think we should wait until Hiei and Dad are here before I explain. It's kind of complicated."

"Why don't you call them in here? You can explain while we finish preparing."

I nodded and headed toward the living room door. Sticking my head into the room, I caught my dad's attention. "Could you guys come into the kitchen?" My dad seemed relieved when he stood up. He was probably glad that he didn't have to be alone with Hiei anymore. He had never needed to learn how to deal with boyfriends before and I could tell he was uncomfortable. I fought back laughter at the idea of him trying to intimidate Hiei.

Once the two men had taken seats at the kitchen table, my mother spoke up. "Shy said that she wanted you two to be here for her explanation."

"Of what?" my dad asked, toying with the silverware I had just placed on the table.

"Mom asked if I was serious about Hiei," I said, glancing at the fire demon, "and I am, but there's more that we need to explain. See, Hiei is a demon and the demon version of dating is different than ours. For one thing, they call it courting not dating."

"Courting?" my dad muttered, staring hard at the fork in his hands.

"That sounds romantic," my mother said, pouring a box of noodles into the boiling pot of water. "I believe that's what it was called in medieval times."

I frowned and waited to see if they were going to interrupt again. "Can I talk now?" I asked, my impatience leaking into my voice.

"Oh, sorry," my mother apologized. "Please continue."

I opened my mouth to speak, but realized that I didn't know what to say. How did I explain that Hiei intended to mate me, to make me his for the rest of our lives? Hiei saw that I was floundering and stepped in just as he had earlier.

"Unlike humans, demons court one another with one of two purposes in mind. More often than not, the purpose is simply that of having a partner for bedding purposes." My dad blanched visibly at Hiei's blunt words, but my mom remained unfazed. "In this case, that is not my goal. I seek to make Shyle my mate, my life partner."

"You want to marry her?" My dad had to swallow hard in order to get the words out.

"No. I want to mate her."

"Which means what?" my mother asked calmly.

Hiei glanced at me, silently asking me to explain. "Um, demon matings are more permanent than marriage. They can't be revoked. In other words, there is no such thing as divorce."

"How can you be sure that you want to… mate Shyle after such a short time?" My dad was clearly flustered, but he forced himself to continue. "Most men take years, or at the very least months, to decide that they want to propose and that is not for something permanent. A marriage can be broken if the need arises."

Hiei met my dad's gaze squarely. "Your daughter possesses qualities that I have been looking for my entire life." I smiled at Hiei, touched by what he had said.

"You haven't become mates yet, have you?" my mother asked, her back turned as she slid a tray of garlic bread into the oven.

I blushed. She didn't realize exactly what her question entailed. In essence, we had just been asked if we had slept together. Hiei caught my eye, a smirk gracing his features, and said, "No, we are not yet mated. Though I am sure that I want Shyle to be my mate, she is not decided. I am giving her as much time as she requires to make her choice."

"That sounds very gentlemanly of you," my mother said.

My dad cleared his throat. "I believe that's enough about that." He finally put the fork down and turned his eyes to me. "So, Shy, when is the wedding?"

"What?" I asked in alarm, nearly dropping the glasses in my hands.

"Kuwabara and Yukina's wedding? Isn't it coming up?" My dad didn't seem to understand why his question had caught me so off guard.

"Oh, right. Yes, it's in three weeks." I set the glasses of water down on the table, breathing a sigh of relief. Hiei sat stiffly in his seat, his hands clenched in his lap, and I barely stopped myself from laughing at him. I didn't understand why he didn't like that Kuwabara was going to be Yukina's husband. I couldn't think of someone who could possibly be better for the ice apparition.

"Dinner's ready," my mother said, stepping back from the stove. "Bring your plates up and serve yourself."

I grabbed two plates, one for myself and one for my mom, and headed for the stove. Handing her a plate, I picked up the spoon that sat in the spaghetti pot and placed a large scoop on my plate. I took a two pieces of garlic bread and moved down the counter to the crock pot. After taking some sauce, I sat down at the table and waited for the others to take seats.

Dinner was far less awkward than the beginning of the evening had been. My parents filled me in on what had happened in the few weeks since I'd seen them and I told them that we had moved back into the city. Hiei spoke when appropriate, but for the most part remained quiet.

I helped clean up after dinner and my parents walked us to the door. "It was nice to meet you, Hiei," my mother said. Hiei froze in surprise when she stepped forward and wrapped him in a brief hug. "I hope you and Shyle are happy." Releasing him, she turned to me and hugged me as well.

My dad extended a hand to Hiei, who shook it once. I could tell that the fire demon was more comfortable shaking hands than hugging. Satisfied that he had said farewell to Hiei properly, my dad turned to me and pulled me into a hug. "Love you, Shy. Drive safely."

"Love you too. Love you, Mom. I'll see you guys soon."

My mother smiled and held the door open for Hiei and me. "I would hope so," she said, smiling warmly. "I love you."

The door shut behind us and we started toward my car. "That went decently well," I muttered. Hiei smirked, but didn't reply. We settled into our seats in my car and I started the engine. "You really weren't nervous?" I asked as I backed out of the driveway.

He remained silent, gazing out the window. I frowned, trying to figure out why he wasn't talking, and then I remembered what I had observed when he walked into the living room. "You were nervous!" I exclaimed, struck by the realization. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"If you had known I was nervous, your own nerves would have increased."

"True."

"Hn."

* * *

"If you keep that up, you'll wear a hole in the floor within the first week of living here," I said, watching as Kuwabara paced across the living room floor. He had found a suitable apartment after five days of searching, but the doubts had set in almost as soon as he had paid the first month's rent.

What if Yukina didn't like it? What if he could have found a cheaper place? What if it was too small? What if it was too big?

The ridiculousness of it all had begun to drive me insane, but I'd answered his questions with the patience of a saint. Yukina would like anything Kuwabara picked out and he knew it. Money wasn't an issue since Yusuke paid for all of Kuwabara's expenses. The hanyou claimed it was the least he could do for his best friend.

As for the questions about the apartment's size, I'd simply glared at him. Maybe I was hanging around with Hiei too much.

"Besides, even if you're not worried about your brand new wood floors, Yusuke is going to kick your ass if you don't help him bring the boxes up."

That finally got Kuwabara's attention and, cursing, he redirected himself toward the door. I watched him leave and rolled my eyes at his strange behavior. Turning up volume on the boom box that sat on the kitchen counter, I began to load the dishwasher with the brand new dishes Yusuke had brought up a few minutes earlier.

I was in charge of opening boxes, while Yusuke and Kuwabara unloaded the moving van. Hiei and Kurama were off training for the day and Keiko was working, which meant that the three of us would be alone until Hiei came to bring me home.

I finished loading the dishwasher just as Yusuke appeared in the apartment's doorway, a large box preventing me from seeing his face. It shouldn't have been surprising that he could carry what was no doubt an incredibly heavy box, but it was still strange.

He set the box down and glanced at me. "I've decided that we need to do something to lower Kuwabara's stress levels."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, coming around the counter and picking up the scissors that lay on the table. Quickly slitting the tape that help the box closed, I pulled back the top flaps and looked inside it to see that it contained a television. A very nice, expensive television.

"The guy needs to relax. He's got his knickers in a twist and it's driving me crazy."

"His knickers in a twist? Who the hell even says that?"

Yusuke made a face and leaned over the box. "You like this? I bought it for him as a consolation gift."

"A consolation gift for what?" I asked, deciding to ignore the fact that Yusuke had made up a new reason for gift giving.

"He's getting married. The poor sucker will never be free again."

I snorted. "Oh, yeah, because you wouldn't jump at the opportunity to be married to Keiko."

He shrugged and turned toward the door. "Leave that there. We don't need you breaking Kuwabara's consolation gift."

He left and I glanced around the apartment. We'd already finished most of the unpacking and the major furniture had been delivered. Kuwabara would be living on his own for the first time and all of the furniture was brand new. Almost everything was, for that matter.

It took nearly three more hours for us to finish the job that we had started at eight that morning. Exhausted, I dropped into a seat on the couch in the living room. Kuwabara threw himself onto the loveseat and Yusuke lay down on the couch, his head in my lap.

He grinned up at me. "So what's up?"

"There is so much wrong with you," I informed him, shaking my head sadly.

Acting as though he hadn't heard me, Yusuke looked around the room and proclaimed, "We did a pretty damn good job if you ask me."

"No one did," Kuwabara muttered. He stared up at the ceiling, tapping his fingers on his knee restlessly.

"You need to relax," I said, attempting to think of a way to distract him. "Why are you so stressed in the first place? Is it just the wedding?"

He sighed and nodded unhappily. "What if Yukina ends up hating me for trapping her in this marriage and in a mating?"

"What are you talking about? Yukina loves you and wants to be with you. You just have wedding jitters, they'll pass." I watched him, trying to figure out what had caused these nerves. Kuwabara was the strongest believer in love that I had ever met. How could he be this worried?

"Shy's right," Yusuke said, finally sounding serious. "You and Yukina are perfect for each other. Everyone sees it."

Kuwabara sighed and stilled his fingers, staring across the room. "You guys are right. I know that, but it doesn't make me feel any better." He sighed and shook his head, forcing a smile onto his face. "I'm sure this will pass."

"Heck yeah, it will," Yusuke half-yelled, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

I stared at him. "Are you okay?"

"Of course, I am. Why would you ask that?"

"Because you're acting weird. Or, well, weirder than usual." He shot me a dirty look and crossed his arms over his chest, pouting like a baby. I puffed out my cheeks and crossed my eyes, which caused him to burst out laughing.

"Now who's acting weird?"

Ignoring Yusuke's question, I asked, "What would you two say to everyone going to that amusement park that opened up a few weeks ago and spending the day there? It would be fun and relaxing."

"That's perfect," Yusuke said, grinning. "I knew we kept you around for a reason, Shy. That superior noggin of yours comes in handy."

"You need so much help," I muttered. Turning my attention to Kuwabara, I asked, "So, do you like the idea?"

"Yeah, it sounds like it could be fun."

"Exactly." Yusuke beamed at him, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "I'll get Keiko to close the diner for a day and we can all drive down there. It's like a forty minute car ride, right? That's not even that bad."

I rolled my eyes at Yusuke's childish excitement, glancing at Kuwabara. "You just need to relax, to stop thinking about this so much. Everything is going to work out, okay?"

He nodded and smiled. I was relieved to see that this time around the smile was genuine. "Alright, alright, Shy. I get it," he said. His entire mood seemed to be shifting, the gloom and doom feelings of the last few minutes disappearing.

With a whoop, Yusuke stood up and moved to the kitchen. He returned a few seconds later, the boom box in hand. "Who's up for music and cards?" he asked, plugging in the boom box and returning to his seat on the couch.

Chuckling, Kuwabara stood up and took a seat on the side of the coffee table opposite the couch. Producing a deck of cards out of the back pocket of his jeans, Yusuke started shuffling. "Three-way war?"

"Sure," I answered, slipping off the couch onto the floor. Yusuke joined me a second later as he began to deal. "Alright, so when are we going to go to the amusement park?"

"A weekday is probably best," Kuwabara said, picking up his cards and flipping over the top one.

"How about next Tuesday?" Yusuke asked. I raised an eyebrow at his random choice. "What?" he demanded.

"What made you pick Tuesday?"

"It's a weekday, isn't it?" He glared at me and took the cards he had just won.

"Okay, so Tuesday it is," Kuwabara said, preventing an argument from breaking out.

"Works for me," I agreed.

Spluttering, Yusuke slammed his hand down on the table. "Why don't you give him a hard time?"

"Because I like him," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, really? You like him? I see how it is, Iraheta."

"Took you long enough."

* * *

AN: I'm not sure how I feel about the last half of this chapter. Kuwabara's nerves were necessary, but they messed with the group's usual dynamic. The whole scene was annoying and difficult to write. I hope that it wasn't as frustrating to read.

You may have noticed that time is moving faster than it had in the past. I needed to get things moving. Obivously this story isn't simply about Shyle and Hiei getting together and we're starting to move toward the climax. The shit will probably hit the fan somewhere in the next ten chapters, so you have that to look forward to.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys rock. I got the twenty reviews I was looking for, which was exciting. Two more reviews and this story will have two hundred total. When I started this, I never thought I would get that many!


	24. The Beach

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"You're coming, firefly, and nothing you say will get you out of it." I came out from behind the kitchen counter, walking into the living room toward my uncooperative boyfriend.

Scowling, Hiei glared at me. "You can not command me to do something," he stated. "I have no interest in going to an amusement park."

Taking a step forward, I bent down, leaning over him where he sat on the couch. "Hiei, you are going to come." I paused, allowing time for each calmly stated word to sink in. "This is supposed to be a fun day that we will be enjoying with our friends and you are not getting out of it."

"Hn, what is fun about spending a day among a bunch of loud, annoying humans and riding metal deathtraps?"

"You would do well to remember that I am human," I snapped, narrowing my eyes at the obstinate fire demon. Then, with a small, devious smile, I added, "Metal deathtraps? Are you implying that you're scared of rollercoasters?"

"No!" he barked immediately. My question had sparked the response I'd been hoping for. Insulting Hiei's pride was the best way to get him to cave. "How could something so pathetic and useless scare me?"

"I don't know. It just seems to me that you're refusing to go for silly reasons and the only thing I could think of to justify you refusal is that you are afraid. But Hiei Jaganshi would never be afraid of something. I should have known that," I said, making each word patronizing. "Although, the only way you can really prove that you aren't afraid is by coming and going on a few rollercoasters."

"I will go," he muttered, his eyes not meeting mine.

"Good," I replied, smiling and slapping his knee good-naturedly. "Go get dressed. We're leaving in fifteen minutes."

I stepped back and allowed Hiei to stand, watching as he made his way to our bedroom. Biting my lip, I admired his backside and barely fought down a giggle at my own naughty thoughts.

Hiei had taken to wearing his boxers around the apartment and I had to admit that I liked the show. I think that he meant it as some kind of test, some way of seeing how comfortable I was with him, and originally I hadn't done so well. The first morning that I had come out of our room and found him sitting on the couch watching the news in his boxers, I'd become a blushing, stuttering mess. But as the days went by it became so commonplace for him to be clad only in boxers that it no longer fazed me.

In fact, I'd decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. Needless to say, the expression on his face when he came out of the bathroom and found me getting into bed in only a sports bra and shorts had been hilarious. He'd growled something about me testing his restraint and lay down with his back to me.

It hadn't even been ten minutes before he rolled over, pulled me to him, and fell asleep with his face pressed to my hair.

He disappeared into the bedroom and I headed back to the kitchen, returning to what I had been doing before our little squabble. Popping my bagel into the toaster, I ran through a mental list of what I needed to bring, murmuring each thing aloud as I thought of it, "Enough money for two day passes and food, CDs for the car ride, directions to the park, sunscreen."

I checked quickly to make sure that I had put on my bathing suit rather than underwear and realized that I hadn't told Hiei to wear his. "Hiei?" I called. My bagel popped up and I grabbed it, setting it down on a paper towel.

"What?"

"Do you have a bathing suit? You know, swim trunks?"

"Yes."

"Wear it."

He didn't respond, which I decided to interpret as acceptance. I retrieved the cream cheese from the fridge and spread it over my bagel, tossing the dirty knife into the sink.

Strong arms wrapped around me just as I took the first bite of my breakfast. Swallowing, I asked, "All ready?"

"Hn."

"Do you want a bite?" I held my bagel up so that it was in his reach. He leaned against me, taking a quick bite of the bagel. "Eww, don't chew in my ear," I scolded, breaking free of him and picking up the paper towel on which the other half of my bagel sat. Still eating the first half, I made my way toward the front door. "Grab my bag on the counter. It has all the stuff we need for today."

Hiei swung the bag over his shoulder and followed me, licking cream cheese off his lips. I slipped on my sandals and pulled the door open, stopping when realized I had forgotten something crucial. "Hiei, could you get my car keys? They're on the coffee table."

"You should carry something of your own," he informed me. But he turned anyway and found my keys. Walking past me out the door, he smirked confidently and twirled the keys around his finger.

"I am carrying something," I muttered, following him and pulling the door shut behind me.

"Your bagel does not count."

I stuck my tongue out at him. Darting past him, I entered the stairwell before him and jogged down the stairs. Just because he wasn't overly happy about our trip, didn't mean I was going to let him ruin my day. He followed me at a slow walk and I reached my car before he had even left my apartment building.

Tapping my foot, I waited impatiently, wishing that I had taken my keys from him. By the time he finally reached my car, I was ready to start pulling my hair out. He tossed me the keys and I caught them, opening the doors quickly. "Get in," I snapped, thoroughly annoyed with his teasing.

"Why are you rushing?" he asked, climbing in and fastening his seatbelt. "It is not as though Yusuke will be ready when we get there. He will be at least twenty minutes late."

I didn't bother arguing, not when Hiei was so clearly right, but I let out an exasperated sigh and backed out of my parking spot.

"You're going to have fun today," I told him as I pulled out into traffic. "Amusement parks are awesome."

He was quiet for a second before saying, "I don't see how you can like them so much. If you are scared of heights, what is there for you to do?"

"Ah, but you see that is where you are wrong. I'm only scared of heights when there is a possibility of falling. When I'm strapped into a rollercoaster, there is no way in hell that I could fall out."

"Plenty of people have died on those things," Hiei growled, glaring out the window.

"Plenty is probably an exaggeration. Yeah, there are accidents. I'll give you that. But the chances of getting hurt are very low." I stopped at a red light and looked at him. "A lot lower than the chances of you getting hurt fighting demons."

"Hn, it's different."

"Yeah, the odds are a lot worse in your situation."

The light turned green and I stepped on the gas. Hiei didn't respond and I had to fight back laughter. How was it that he could be afraid of something like a rollercoaster?

When I pulled into the diner's parking lot, I saw that Kuwabara's SUV was already there. "See," I gloated, "we aren't even the first ones here."

Hiei ignored me, stepping out of the car and closing the door. Rolling my eyes, I followed him, locking the doors behind me.

Kuwabara was leaning against the driver's side door of his car, watching us approach. "Keiko's yelling at Yusuke because he's running late, so I figured I'd wait out here," he said, reaching up to cover a yawn with his hand. "Yukina and Botan are inside, going to the bathroom before we leave."

Kuwabara had picked the two girls up at the train station the night before and the three had stayed the night in Kuwabara's new apartment. We'd invited Botan so that Kurama would have a ride partner and wouldn't feel like the third wheel.

Or, well, seventh.

"Where's Kurama?" I asked, stopping in front of Kuwabara. Hiei handed me my bag and headed for the diner, murmuring something about wanting to hear Yusuke getting scolded by his woman.

"Pulling into the parking lot," Kuwabara answered dryly.

"What?" I whirled around and, sure enough, Kurama was just beginning to park his car. "Oh."

Kurama joined us a minute later. "Yusuke's late?" he asked, glancing at the diner.

"How'd you guess?"

Kurama chuckled and checked his watch. "He actually isn't late yet. We agreed to leave at ten but it's only nine fifty. He has ten minutes."

We chatted idly, waiting for the rest of our group. When the others finally emerged from the diner, it was fifteen minutes after we were supposed to have left.

"I call shotgun," I said, darting around Kuwabara's SUV and scrambling into the front passenger's seat. Seating arrangements had been decided on the night before and I was going to be the only girl riding with Kuwabara. The other girls were going with Kurama. I had refused to ride with the redhead because I wanted control of the radio, which I would only get with Kuwabara.

Grumbling, Yusuke slid into the seat behind Kuwabara while Hiei took the one behind me. Kuwabara sat down in the driver's seat and pulled his door shut. "You've got the directions right?" he asked.

"Yep." I tugged the folded sheet of paper out of my bag and opened it, flattening it out against my knee. I read off the first set of directions and Kuwabara pulled out of the parking lot, Kurama following in his own car.

The next set of directions wouldn't come for another few minutes and I set about trying to decide which CD to put in. "Evens or odds?" I asked, turning around to look at Yusuke.

"What?"

"Just pick."

"Evens."

I turned back around, popping open the case in my left hand and sliding the CD into the player. Messing with the volume until it was at a tolerable level, I said, "Alright, so we've got forty minutes to kill. Who's up for road games?"

Yusuke groaned in the backseat and I grinned. "How about not?" he snapped. "Jeeze, Shy. What are you? Twelve?"

"I was just trying to keep the children entertained."

"Excuse me?" Yusuke asked, annoyance dripping from every word.

"Did you have trouble hearing me?"

"Don't call me a child!"

* * *

I peered over Keiko's shoulder at the map of the park, trying to figure out where we were. We'd gotten to the park just after eleven and the gates had just opened. Besides money, we had left everything in the cars and bought day passes. Now, standing just inside the gates, we were attempting to decide where to go first.

"I can see a rollercoaster," Yusuke said, staring through the trees toward a large, twisting rollercoaster. "I say we go on the rides that will have lines first. That way we don't have to wait once people start showing up.

"Sounds good," Kuwabara replied, starting off in the direction of the rollercoaster, his arm wrapped around Yukina's shoulders.

Keiko sighed, but didn't argue. I took the map from her, studying it as we walked. "That rollercoaster is called the Screwdriver. It goes upside-down."

"Wonderful," Hiei muttered. He was walking at my side, glaring at the people we passed.

The park wasn't particularly crowded yet, but I had a feeling that would change in a few hours time. Hopefully, the crowds wouldn't get too large.

When we reached the rollercoaster, we joined the line, winding between the rails that controlled the line's direction. Grinning, I hoisted myself up onto the rail and sat down. The line was so short that we would probably get onto the next ride.

"Where should we go next?" Yusuke asked.

I glanced down at the map in my lap. "There's this ride called the Frisbee that looks like it could be fun."

"The Frisbee?" Botan asked. "Do you know what it's like?"

"Yeah, I've seen it on commercials. Basically, the ride is this big circle with seats all around the edge. It swings back and forth, gradually gaining height until it's vertical at the peak of each swing, and the entire time the circle is spinning."

Yusuke rubbed his hands together. "We are so going on that."

"The only problem is that it's halfway across the park," I said, showing him on the map.

Kurama spoke up. "We can head toward the Frisbee and go on any rides that look interesting between here and there."

"Works for me," Kuwabara said as the line started moving.

Grabbing Hiei's wrist, I pulled him after me up the ramp to the loading platform. I made a beeline for front seat, just barely beating Yusuke to it. He swore and slid into the second row. Keiko slipped in behind him while Hiei and I took our seats.

The attendant spoke into a microphone, giving instructions, but I tuned him out. "Fasten your seatbelt," I told Hiei, clipping my own into place. The lap bar swung down just as Hiei finished with his seat belt and he eyed it darkly. "It's for your protection, Hiei. Don't give it the evil eye."

"You better not scream, Iraheta," Yusuke snapped from behind me.

"So says the one that screamed like a little girl when we went to a carnival last year," I retorted, twisting around in my seat to glare at him.

An attendant came around and tugged on the lap bar, checking to make sure it was secure. "Enjoy your ride," the other attendant said into his microphone and the rollercoaster started down the rail.

Hiei gripped the lap bar tightly, his knuckles turning white. He hissed when the rollercoaster started to clack its way up the first incline, causing me to burst out laughing.

The ride was relatively quick, but it had great drops and we went upside-down twice. When the rollercoaster pulled back into the station, I was still laughing at Hiei's nervous behavior. The entire ride he kept hold of the lap bar, swearing under his breath. We climbed out of the train and exited the loading platform.

Keiko walked at my side, rubbing her ears. "Upside-down rides always hurt my head," she said. I nodded my agreement. Going upside-down caused my head to rattle against the headrest.

We stopped multiple times on the way to the Frisbee, going on whatever rides looked good. Yusuke and Kuwabara proclaimed that they wanted to go on the Bumper Cars, but we decided to wait to do so until later because the lines would never get particularly long for that ride.

There wasn't a very large line for the Frisbee when we finally got there, which I decided to take as a good sign. We had already spent two hours in the park, but the crowd wasn't much larger than when we had arrived.

Yusuke grinned, leaning back against the rail and glancing up at the ride. "Nice choice, Shy. This looks like it'll be fun."

"Or nauseating," Botan murmured.

"You don't like spinning rides?" Kurama asked her.

"Not really."

"If you'd like, I'll sit this one out with you," he offered.

"No, that's alright. I don't want you to miss out," Botan said, shaking her head. "I'll be alright."

"Actually, I don't really want to go on this ride," Yukina stated, smiling at Botan. "We can sit out together." Botan wavered and then accepted the ice apparition's offer. The two ducked under the rail and took seats on a bench near the ride.

Hiei watched them and I entwined my fingers with his. "Unless you think you're going to puke, you aren't getting out of this," I said, laughing as his expression became annoyed.

The line advanced and we made our way up the stairs to the circle, taking seats and pulling the protective bar over our shoulders. The ride was exhilarating and I spent the entire time laughing. Yusuke was sitting beside me and we talked, making fun of the rest of the people on the ride who looked like they were going to be sick.

After the Frisbee, we went on a few more rides and then made our way to one of the dozen food courts littered throughout the park. We ordered our food and took seats at a table.

I dipped a french-fry in ketchup and glanced at the map that I'd laid out on the table. "What now?"

"We should go on the water rides while it's hot," Keiko said, taking a bite of the sandwich she had ordered.

Yusuke made a muffled sound of agreement through his mouthful of cheeseburger. Swallowing, he added, "We walked past a ride a few minutes ago that looked awesome."

"The Tidal Wave?" I asked.

"Yeah, that."

"Is that the one that sends up the huge wave of water?" Kuwabara asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"Duh," Yusuke said, rolling his eyes. "Hence the name."

"Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot, Urameshi," Kuwabara growled, glaring at the hanyou.

"I'm just trying to talk at a level you will understand."

"I drove you here," Kuwabara said threateningly, taking a drink of his soda. "But I don't have to drive you home."

"You would leave me, your best friend, stranded in an amusement park?"

"If you keep this crap up, yeah." The two fell into a silent staring contest, each trying not to be the first to blink. Keiko sighed and shook her head, no doubt trying to figure out how she ended up with someone like Yusuke.

"He's a keeper," I whispered in her ear.

"You're telling me."

Once we'd finished eating, we headed for the Tidal Wave. The line moved quickly and soon we were at the front. I shed my shirt and shorts, placing them in the area designated for personal belongings, and slid into one of the seats of the boat that would carry us. Hiei slid in beside me and we were joined by Kuwabara and Yusuke.

The lap bar came down and the ride started off. The ride was shaped like a horseshoe, with one straight edge being the climb and the other the drop. It was a simple ride, but it was fun. The drop was large and steep and when the boat descended it created a huge wave that crashed over the passengers and any unlucky bystanders standing in the splash zone.

Laughing, I climbed out of the boat as it came to halt and stood dripping on the platform. Hiei retrieved my clothes and his shirt and we waited for the others before making our way down the exit path.

The next ride we went on was the Log Flume, where we rode in fake, hollowed out logs. It was like a miniature rollercoaster with the addition of water and a picture was taken when we went down the largest drop. Yusuke and I spent the entire ride, trying to see if we could flip over our log.

Sadly, we were unsuccessful.

The time seemed to fly by and soon the sun was seating. Lights flickered on all over the park and Yusuke deemed it time to go to the Haunted Mine. He grinned as we joined the line, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Last time we went on a ride like this, you screamed the entire time," he teased, giving my shoulders a squeeze. "Will there be a similar show this time?"

"Shut up," I snapped, shoving his arm away. "And I didn't scream. I shrieked."

"Oh, of course. How could I have made such a disastrous mistake?"

We reached the front of the line and Yusuke gestured for me to take the front seat of the mine car. Dragging Hiei with me, I defiantly sat down in the front row. Each mine car could carry four people, two in the front and two in the back, so Yusuke and Keiko took the second row in our car. The rest of our group would be in the next mine car.

As the ride started, I grabbed Hiei's hand, squeezing it tightly. I didn't know why haunted rides scared me so much, but they did. Pressing myself against Hiei, I tried not to make any noise, knowing that Yusuke would mock me for it.

The ride took what felt like ages and when it finally ended, I practically shoved Hiei out of the mine car. We waited for the others outside of the ride. Ignoring Yusuke's teasing, I pulled the map out of my pocket.

"We've gone on pretty much everything. Are there any rides that we want to go on again?"

"The Frisbee was pretty fun," Keiko said.

Yusuke nodded his agreement as the others emerged from the Haunted Mine. "Are you guys up for another round on the Frisbee?" he asked.

"Sure," Kuwabara said, grinning.

Kurama shook his head. "I think I'll go with Botan and Yukina on a different ride, since they don't enjoy spinning rides. Would you two like to go on the Ferris Wheel?"

Botan clapped her hands together and said, "Yes, that sounds fun."

"Alright," Yukina added. "I would enjoy that."

"Okay, so this will be the last ride and then we'll leave?" Yusuke asked. When no one made any move to disagree, he continued, "We'll meet up at the bathroom and head out from there." Kurama nodded and left with the two girls, heading for the Ferris Wheel.

We met up with the others twenty minutes later. After making sure everyone who needed to had gone to the bathroom, we left the park and started for our cars.

Hiei and I walked at the back of the group. "Did you have fun?" I asked, sliding my hand into his.

"Hn, it was not as bad as I thought it would be."

"Okay, but did you have fun?"

He sighed audibly and shot me a look. "Yes, Shyle, I had fun."

"Good," I murmured, resting my head against his shoulder and yawning.

"I call shotgun," Yusuke yelled when we reached Kuwabara's SUV. Too tired to care, I didn't protest.

I slipped into the backseat after Hiei, moving into the middle seat so that I could continue to lean on him. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and whispered, "Go to sleep, Shyle. I will wake you when we get home."

* * *

AN: What did you think of the chapter? I could have gone on for awhile longer about their day, but I figured it would get boring. I modeled this park after one near my house, though I changed the names of some of the rides. For instance, the Tidal Wave is called the Boston Tea Party in the park near me.

I kind of had a drop off in reviews, but that's okay because last chapter kind of sucked. Was this chapter better? Tell me what you think.


	25. Don't Wanna Lose You Now

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

Hiei shook me awake when we were pulling into the diner's parking lot. His breath fanning across my ear, he murmured, "Wake up, Shyle. You need to drive us home."

"Yeah, unless you want the shrimp to crash your car, I suggest getting up," Kuwabara added, chuckling as he slammed his door closed. I moaned slightly at the noise and sat up straighter, rubbing my eyes. Hiei studied me for a second longer and, once he was sure I wouldn't fall back asleep, opened his door. I slid out after him, leaning against him and suppressing a yawn.

"I should so not be driving when I'm this tired," I mumbled, watching Kurama park his car.

Yusuke snorted. "Too bad that won't stop you from driving. Or, what I should say is, it won't stop Hiei from making you."

"Hn. I have every intention of getting home, with or without her car."

"Why?" Yusuke asked, grinning devilishly. "Are you in a rush to get her in bed?" He turned his attention to me, raising an eyebrow suggestively. "So, is he a hot, sexy, fire demon god under the sheets?"

Hiei growled and took a threatening step toward the hanyou. "Mind your own business, Urameshi. You'll regret it if you don't."

"Whatever you say, Hiei. But your defensive behavior seems to indicate that you're scared Shyle won't be singing your praises," Yusuke replied cheekily. "You know, there's no shame in being bad in bed. In fact, many men fail to fully please their women. It's just how life is."

Kuwabara slung an arm around Yusuke's shoulders. "Let's go, Urameshi. You need to go inside before Hiei causes you to die. Again."

"Yeah, like he could kill me."

"I will if you open your mouth once more."

Kuwabara dragged Yusuke away before he could reply. "Goodnight, Shy. Drive safely," he called over his shoulder. Yusuke opened his mouth to say something, but Kuwabara clamped his hand over it and shoved him toward the diner's front door. "Open it and go inside. Keiko will join you in a few minutes."

Still fuming, Hiei turned on his heel and started for my car, my bag clutched in his hand. I followed him without protest. At least I was fully awake now. "Well, that was embarrassing," I muttered, unlocking my car door.

I climbed into the car, settling into my seat and pulling the door closed behind me. Hiei followed suit, an irritated expression on his face. "He makes the idiot seem intelligent."

Snickering, I started my car and backed out of my spot, waving to our friends that were just getting out of Kurama's car. "Yukina and Kuwabara's wedding is next Friday, just over a week away. Can you believe that?" I asked, changing the subject.

But apparently, I'd picked a bad topic because Hiei tensed and began tapping his fingers on his knee angrily. "No, I can not believe I am letting Yukina marry him."

"I don't understand why you have a problem with them being together. Kuwabara will do everything he can to make Yukina happy. Surely you know that?"

Hiei sighed, as though he was suddenly tired. "It is not that I oppose him, it is simply that any man who touches her will sully her innocence. No man should be allowed to do such a thing."

Rolling my eyes, I asked, "But don't you plan to 'sully' my innocence." I allowed him a chance to open and close his mouth twice before continuing. "That seems kind of hypocritical to me."

"It is different."

"It isn't. They love each other. That should be enough to keep you happy." I took a deep breath. "Look, Hiei, I'm not going to rant at you about the fact that you have double standards, though you clearly do. I just think that you should be happy for your sister and for Kuwabara, who just so happens to be your friend."

I turned into my apartment building's parking lot and pulled into my spot, shutting off the engine. Climbing out of the car, I grabbed my bag from Hiei's lap and started toward the building's front doors. Hiei followed me silently.

We made our way up the stairs to my apartment without speaking. I fiddled with my key, mentally cursing the still broken light. "Let me," Hiei said, his arm reaching around me to take the key from my hand. He slid it into the lock and pushed the door open, allowing me to enter first.

"You aren't even going to respond?" I asked finally, kicking off my sandals and glancing at him.

"What would you like me to say?" he asked, toeing off his own shoes. "That you are right and I am completely off base." His tone was sarcastic and biting. I resisted the urge to flinch at his rage.

"I wasn't trying to anger you, firefly. I'm sorry. Forget I said anything."

He looked as though he was going to say something, but then he shook his head and moved past me. Sighing, I followed him to our bedroom. Leaning against the doorframe, I said, "I'm going to take a shower before going to bed. Do you need anything in the bathroom?"

"I will shower after you. I can wait to use the bathroom until then."

"Okay." I grabbed my pajamas, which consisted of shorts, a sports bra, and underwear, and slipped into the bathroom. Emerging from the bathroom thirty minutes later, I called, "I'm done. The bathroom's all yours."

The television shut off in the living room and Hiei made his way down the hallway. "Go to sleep without me," Hiei said, entering the bathroom. "I'll join you when I'm done."

"Goodnight, Hiei."

"Goodnight, Shyle," he replied. The door shut and I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I'd blown it dry, knowing that Hiei hated it when my hair was wet when we went to bed.

I slipped into our room and pulled back the covers on the bed. Lying down, I folded my arms over the covers and stared at the ceiling. Why did I have to go and ruin a good day by opening my big mouth? But then it wasn't all my fault. If Hiei was a little less stuck in his ways, we wouldn't have argued.

Deciding to let it rest for the night, I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. I was just beginning to fall asleep when I heard Hiei enter the room, closing the door behind him. He joined me in the bed a few moments later and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me to him.

I remained silent, letting him think that I was asleep. He pressed a kiss to my shoulder and sighed. "You're right, of course," he whispered. "Kuwabara will be good for Yukina. He won't take advantage of her. He'll do everything in his power to make her happy."

He was silent for so long that I thought he had fallen asleep, but then he continued, "I can only hope that I do as well for you."

* * *

The next morning, I lay in bed for a few minutes after Hiei got up. He probably assumed that I was giving him time to use the bathroom in peace, but that wasn't the case. I was trying to sort out my thoughts, trying to figure out what to do about the realization I had made the night before.

I loved him.

I, Shyle Iraheta, loved Hiei Jaganshi.

When had that happened? When had my feelings become so strong? Hiei's whispered confession had made me aware of my feelings, but had they existed before that or had his admission created them? I studied the ceiling, hoping that it would somehow contain the answers that I was looking for.

I remembered clearly the morning that Hiei had said he didn't think himself capable of loving someone. He had said it in response to a question about whether or not he had loved Mukuro, but his answer had been directed at the feeling in general. Would I get hurt because I loved him and he didn't return the feeling?

I pushed myself up into a sitting position, pressing my hands to my eyes. Being in love with him should have solved problems, not created them. Taking a deep breath, I swung my legs out of bed and looked around the room.

Hiei's pants from the day before were tossed carelessly on the floor and his shirt was a crumpled ball by the floor. Living with Hiei was so easy. He didn't stress about things being perfect. We'd simply adapted to one another, adjusting our habits so that they wouldn't interfere with the other person.

Was that what made me love him? Just because he was easy to live with? Or was it something else?

I stood up and padded my way into the bathroom. The news was on in the living room, which meant that Hiei was starting his day as he always did, completely unaware of my inner crisis. I got ready quickly. The sooner I had something to distract me from my thoughts, the better.

Making my way into the kitchen, I murmured, "Morning, Hiei."

"How did you sleep?" he asked, standing up and joining me in the kitchen.

"Good," I replied. He smirked faintly and stepped forward, pulling me against him and kissing me soundly. When he released me, I started to prepare myself a bowl of cereal, stealing glances at him out of the corner of my eye.

I'd halfway expected him to look different now. But that was stupid. I loved him; it wouldn't make any sense for him to have changed. Still, I'd thought that I would see him in a differed light. Falling in love with him was a big step in our relationship, but there was nothing physical or concrete to show that a step had been taken. Moving in together had been a tangible thing. The clothes strewn across my floor proved that.

Fishing a spoon out of a drawer, I shook my head, trying to banish my thoughts. "So what's the plan for the day?"

He opened his mouth to answer just as the phone rang and I held up a finger, silently telling him to hold his thought. Picking the phone up and checking the caller id, I said, "Morning, Yusuke. What's up?"

"A lot actually," he answered. "This probably isn't going to be what you wanted to hear, but there's been word on Epsilon's location. He's in northeast Alaric with half a dozen of his followers. Mukuro has requested that Hiei, Kurama, and I come to the Makai and accompany her and her men in an attack on their camp."

My breath caught in my throat and I tried to keep my sudden panic out of my voice. "Do you want to talk to Hiei?"

"No, that's alright. Could you just have him come to the diner in an hour? We've got a portal set up to take us to the Makai at ten."

"Yeah, um, sure. We'll see you then."

"Sorry, Shy. Keiko isn't thrilled and I'm sure you feel the same way," Yusuke said. "This isn't that big a deal. We'll be back before you know it."

"Okay. Bye, Yusuke. See you in a little while."

"Bye, Shy." I hung up, returning the phone to its charger listlessly.

"What, Shyle? What's wrong?" Hiei closed the distance between us, tipping my chin up with a finger so that I was looking at him. "What did Yusuke say?"

"Mukuro has information about Epsilon's location. She wants you, Yusuke, and Kurama to go to the Makai. A portal is going to take you there at ten."

His eyes lit at my words and a savage smirk curled his lips. "I will kill that raion," he snarled. I could tell that his mind was already in the Makai, already planning what he would do to Mecca.

"You need to go get ready, right? Put on some clothes and get your katana? I'll finish my cereal and we can head over to the diner," I said, pulling away from him and turning back to my breakfast.

Why did this have to happen now? I just realized that I loved him and now he was going to leave. I needed him around. How else was I supposed to figure out what this meant for us?

Or maybe I was thinking about this the wrong way. Maybe it would be a good thing for Hiei to be gone for a few days. If Hiei was in the Makai, I would have time to think, time to sort out my thoughts.

Hiei had nodded in answer to my questions and disappeared into our bedroom, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I finished my cereal and put the bowl in the dishwasher. Hiei emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later and we made our way downstairs to my car.

It wasn't hard to see that Hiei was excited for what was to come. He held his katana in his lap, his fingers curled eagerly over the hilt, and he tapped his foot restlessly. As soon as I had parked in front of the diner he jumped from the car and headed for the building. I spotted Kurama's car coming down the street and I waited for him to park and climb out before walking toward the diner.

"Good morning, Shyle," Kurama said, falling into step beside me.

"Morning," I replied.

"Where's Hiei?"

"He's already inside."

"He didn't wait for you?" Kurama asked.

"Nope." I pushed the door open, smiling faintly as the bell over the door rang. I hadn't started working again since we'd come back from Genkai's, but I might as well start now. Spending time with Hiei had been my excuse for staying on vacation and his absence would provide a reason for asking Keiko for some hours.

"Hey, guys," Yusuke greeted us as we entered the diner. He was seated at a table, toying with some sugar packets. Hiei was pacing in front of the counter, his katana now hanging at his waist. "You're all here earlier than expected. The portal isn't going to open until ten." I glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised to see that is was only nine thirty.

"Hn, explain what is going on," Hiei commanded.

Yusuke raised an eyebrow at his strange behavior. "You need to take a chill pill, Hiei. I want to kick Epsilon's ass too, but you don't see me freaking out."

"It is the raion that I want to fight, not the hebi."

"Oh, you mean Mecca? He's all yours," Yusuke said, tossing a sugar packet in the air and catching it deftly.

"Where's Keiko?" I asked.

"Upstairs. She was taking a shower, but she should be done by now if you want to go up."

"I think I will. You guys don't need me for anything so there's no point in staying down here." I slipped behind the counter and took the stairs two at a time. I needed to get away from them, away from any talk about fighting. It was unsettling to think that they were so eager to run off and risk their lives.

I'd never understood why Keiko hated that Yusuke was still involved in the Makai. It made sense now. The idea of Hiei dying in the Makai or even getting injured made me feel sick to my stomach.

I knocked on the door to Keiko's apartment once and opened the door without waiting for a response. "Keiko?" I called. "Where are you?"

"In my bedroom."

I made my way through the living room toward the bedroom, forcing myself to relax. Yusuke had said Keiko was upset and if she was, she wouldn't need me making her own nerves worse. I peeked into the room, finding her getting dressed with her back to me.

"Knock, knock," I said, leaning against the doorway. She pulled her shirt over her head and turned around, smiling at me.

"Hi, Shy. How are you?"

"Nauseous," I admitted. "You?"

"Pretty much the same."

"Does it ever get any better?" I asked, moving into the room and taking a seat on the bed.

"Not really, no." She sighed, picking up her brush and pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"Fantastic," I muttered. I lay back on the bed, glaring up at the ceiling. "At least we have each other. And Kuwabara, for that matter."

"True. You know what?" she asked, turning around to face me. "They're going to be enjoying themselves while they're in the Makai, so why don't we do the same? We can have an extended sleepover at one of our apartments. It'll be like the old days."

I smiled, already liking her idea. "That's perfect," I said, sitting up. "We can break in Kuwabara's apartment. It has yet to host one of our sleepovers."

"We'll need to call him," she murmured. "And pack for an extended stay at his place. And get food and movies. And –"

I stood and, wrapping an arm around Keiko's shoulders, started toward the stairs. "Let's say goodbye to them before we start getting carried away with plans, okay?" It was all I could do to keep from breaking out into a grin. Keiko had come up with the perfect way to keep us distracted.

And yet, despite that, my happy mood disappeared as soon as I came down the stairs and saw Hiei once more. I froze on the bottom step, watching as Keiko hugged Yusuke. She pressed her face against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck. I jerked my eyes away, knowing that I shouldn't be intruding on their goodbye.

Slipping out from behind the counter, I closed the distance between myself and Hiei. "You'll be careful?" I asked, hoping my voice didn't sound like I was on the verge of tears.

"Hn, of course. I've never attempted to get killed before." He pulled me to him, resting his chin on my shoulder and whispering in my ear, "I won't start now that I have something to come home to."

I smiled, though I was still fighting tears. "Promise me that you'll come back," I begged, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing tightly.

"Shyle, I will come back." His hands settled on my waist and he pushed me back so that he could give me a once over. "Promise me that you won't worry too much," he said, a smirk on his face.

"Don't make fun of me," I snapped, slapping his arm lightly. For a fraction of a second, I contemplated telling him that I loved him, but decided against it. It wasn't the right time to drop that on him. Plus, the last thing I wanted was for him to think I was only saying it because he was leaving.

"I will see you soon," he said. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"I make no promises," I answered cheekily. He smirked and leaned forward, kissing me. When he pulled away, I was left breathless.

A small pop pulled my attention away from Hiei. I raised a surprised eyebrow at the portal that had appeared in the corner of the diner.

"It's time," Yusuke said, intentionally making his voice overdramatic. "Let's get this show on the road."

Hiei gave me one more quick kiss and then let me go, moving toward the portal. "Wish us luck," Kurama said and stepped through the portal.

"See you soon, babe," Yusuke murmured and, after one last look at Keiko, followed Kurama.

"You promised," I informed Hiei. "You better stick to it."

"I will," he replied. Smirking, he turned and walked through the portal. It disappeared as soon as he was through and Keiko sighed loudly.

"Well, let's call Kuwabara," she said.

"Does he even know that they're going to the Makai?"

"No. Yusuke didn't want him to feel bad because he wasn't allowed to come. So he asked me to tell Kuwabara once they had already left."

"It was nice of him to leave that job to you," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"No kidding."

* * *

AN: I'm getting excited about what's to come. There are just a few more chapters until things get interesting. My excitement is fueling my creative juices and I'm constantly in a writing mood, which means that the next few chapters should come quickly.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love hearing what you have to say. What do you think will happen to the guys while they're in the Makai? Let me know your guesses.


	26. On Top Of the World

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Board games?"

"Check."

"Snacks?"

"Check."

"Sleeping materials?"

"Check."

"Movies? Both action and romance?"

"Check and check."

Keiko threw the pad of paper she'd been holding onto the coffee table and leaned back in her seat, heaving a sigh. I rolled my eyes at her dramatic behavior. Listing off what we needed wasn't exactly a difficult job. Although, considering my job, which consisted of looking around the living room to make sure we had what she listed, I really shouldn't have been talking. I didn't even need to stand to perform my own pathetically easy assignment.

Kuwabara, on the other hand, had had a job worth complaining about. We'd put him in charge of carrying everything we needed into the living room. A task that included bringing our bags up from my car. He'd also been responsible for moving the furniture to the edge of the room, making room for us to lay out whatever board game we chose to play and later for my inflatable mattress. Having finished carrying all of our crap, he collapsed into the armchair.

"Next time, you guys are helping me," he groaned.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time," Keiko corrected him. "So, what are we going to do first?"

"Board game," I said immediately.

"Well, okay then. Do you have a particular game in mind?" she asked, laughing at me.

Shooting her a look, I stood up and made my way over to the stack of board games in the corner. We'd each brought over any games that we had in our apartments and there were a dozen to choose from. "Personally, I'm stuck between playing either Life or Sorry. Which do you guys prefer?"

"Life," Keiko said.

At the same time, Kuwabara blurted, "Sorry."

Keiko shook her head. "We always play Sorry. I think that we should play Life for once."

Deciding to interrupt what could have easily turned into a fistfight, I said, "Alright, we'll settle this the mature way."

"Oh, really?" Kuwabara demanded. "And just what is the mature way?"

"Rock, paper, scissors. Go!" They stared at me I silence for a split second before standing up and walking toward one another. Once they appeared ready, I repeated, "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" They tapped their closed fists into their other hand in time to the words and revealed their choice on shoot.

"Damn it," Kuwabara swore. "Two out of three."

"No way," Keiko said, wrapping her 'paper' around his 'rock'. "You lost fair and square."

Kuwabara continued whining, but took a seat in the middle of the living room, waiting for me to bring the game over. "You're a dumb ass," I told him, picking up the box and joining him in the middle of the room. "Everyone knows not to throw rock first."

"Well, I didn't!" he snapped.

Giggling, Keiko took a seat, completing our circle. "We need snacks or something," she said, looking around the room as if searching for inspiration.

"You said you had stuff for smoothies, right?" I asked Kuwabara.

"Yeah, why? You want to make those now? I thought we would have those while we were watching movies." He frowned, glancing toward the kitchen.

"I guess we don't have to," I mumbled, staring at the floor dejectedly.

Keiko caught my eye and winked. Realizing that she had a plan, I kept up my act, sighing loudly as I began to set up the board game. "So, Shyle," Keiko said, leaning toward me eagerly. "How are things between you and Hiei?"

Kuwabara scrambled to his feet before I'd even had a chance to open my mouth. "I sense a girl talk coming on, so I think I'll go make those smoothies. When I come back there better not be any giggling or anything else girlish and unpleasant."

"Remember to use a lot of ice cream," I called after his retreating back.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

He disappeared into the kitchen and Keiko broke into a fit of giggles. "I hadn't realized that would work so perfectly," she managed to say as she caught her breath. And then, sobering, she added, "By the way, you really do have to answer that question."

I opened my mouth to tell her that everything was fine and then I remembered the dilemma I had been struggling with just that morning. Sighing, I picked up the little blue car that I would be using as my game piece and studied it, trying to figure out what to say. Keiko was my best friend and if anyone could help me make sense of my feelings, it would be her.

"Keiko," I started, but then stopped once more.

"What, Shy? I didn't think this would be such a difficult question."

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath. Deciding to just take the plunge, I asked, "Is it too soon to think I love him?"

"What!" she nearly shouted.

"Whoa," Kuwabara yelled from the kitchen. "Keep it down. I don't want to hear anything." The blender blared to life and I couldn't tell if he said anything else.

"Shyle Iraheta, are you telling me that you're in love with Hiei Jaganshi?" Keiko asked, disbelief clear on her face.

"Yeah, I am. Is that crazy? We've only been together for a month. Should I already be in love with him?" I stared hard at the car in my hand, praying Keiko didn't laugh at me. The idea that I wasn't actually in love with Hiei had been plaguing me all day. Maybe it wasn't love I was feeling, maybe it was just an increased level of infatuation.

"Shy, there are no time parameters for falling in love. It just happens." She laughed softly. "Do you think I planned to fall for Yusuke of all people? That was an accident. But it happened because we're meant for each other." She paused, waiting for me to look at her before she continued. "I've never seen you happier than when you are with Hiei. And, strangely enough, I can say the say about him. You relax him in a way that I never would have thought possible. Don't doubt yourself or your feelings, okay?"

I smiled at her, glad that I had confided in her. "Okay," I answered. "You're right, of course. I just can't help being nervous." I placed the car down on the start space and asked, "How the hell do I go about telling him?"

She shrugged. "I can't answer that for you. Just do it when it feels right."

I was about to respond when Kuwabara burst into the room, balancing three nearly overflowing glasses. "Take them before I drop them," he said, making his way toward us.

Laughing, I stood up and took one of the glasses from him, returning to my seat as he handed Keiko hers. "What kind are they?" I asked, putting the glass to my lips and taking a small sip.

"Strawberry and banana with chocolate ice cream," he answered. He gulped down a large sip and then grinned at me, a foam ring around his lips.

"Geek," I muttered, trying not to laugh.

Holding her glass in one hand, Keiko tossed a car to Kuwabara with the other. "Let's get this started," she said, grinning and leaning forward to give the spinner a twist. Moving her car three spaces, she glanced at Kuwabara and said, "You missed a very surprising girl talk."

"Somehow, I think I'm going to be okay," Kuwabara replied, rolling his eyes. He spun the spinner and advanced his piece, picking up a life tile when his space told him to.

And so the game went. Talk flowed easily and it wasn't long before our cars were advancing toward retirement. Kuwabara chuckled when I landed on a space that told me I'd adopted a child. "The shrimp would totally freak out if you guys actually had three kids," he said as I put a fifth person into my car.

"Actually, Hiei wants kids," I informed him sagely, grinning at Kuwabara's shocked expression.

"Hiei wants kids," Keiko repeated, seemingly testing out how the words sounded. "I never would have guessed that."

"Yeah, it just goes to show that you guys aren't as freaking smart as you think you are," I said, glaring at each of them.

"That's just weird," Kuwabara muttered. He still appeared shocked, as though he just couldn't wrap his mind around what I had said. "Hiei and a bunch of screaming little kids doesn't seem like a good idea."

"I'm sure that any kids raised by Hiei wouldn't be screaming," Keiko said, smiling as she advanced her car.

"Very funny," I retorted, handing her money as she passed a 'pay day' space.

Twenty minutes later it was determined that Kuwabara had won. He'd collected a sizable stack of life tiles and had had the best salary for the largest portion of the game, which together gave him the most money. He gloated for a few minutes before announcing that it was movie time.

While Keiko and I put away the game, he stood and grabbed the stack of movies off of the coffee table. "Alright, so personally I would prefer to watch an action movie –"

"Surprise, surprise," I interrupted.

He shot me a dirty look, but continued, "And as winner of Life, I believe that it should be my decision what movie we watch."

"Go ahead," Keiko said, giving him permission to choose with a roll of her eyes.

"Wonderful, I was hoping you would see things my way," he announced, bowing to her slightly. "I have made my movie choice and all that is left is for you two to get yourselves set up. I shall prepare my bed during the wait."

Snorting at his pompous attitude, I returned the game board to the stack in the corner and grabbed the air mattress. Once I had dragged it into the middle of the living room, I pulled the mattress free of its bag and lay it out on the floor. Keiko and I set about inflating it and covering it with blankets and pillows. By the time we were done, Kuwabara had sprawled out on the couch and was munching on a bowl of popcorn.

"Where the heck did that come from?" I demanded, eyeing the bowl jealously.

"I made it while you two were busy," he answered. "Feel free to make your own."

"Oh, I will," I retorted, making my way into the kitchen. Keiko followed me and we each made a bag of popcorn. I dumped my bag into a bowl and returned to the living room, flicking off all of the lights on my way. Keiko followed a second later after she grabbed two sodas from the fridge.

"You got me soda?" Kuwabara asked, extending a hand to take one of the cans expectantly.

"Nah, sorry. This is for Shy. Feel free to get yourself one though." I laughed at Kuwabara's outraged spluttering and accepted the can as I settled into a seat on the air mattress.

"Would you be so kind as to tell us what movie we're watching?"

"Nope," he answered, grabbing the remote off the arm of the couch and turning on the television. "I put the movie in while you guys were in the kitchen in order to ensure that it would be a surprise."

"You really out did yourself," I informed him sarcastically.

"I try." He hit play and the movie started, causing us all to fall into silence.

It was an action movie in the truest sense, but it was interesting and had a decent plotline. Keiko and I were both accustomed to watching fight scenes thanks to all the movies we had watched with Kuwabara and Yusuke so neither of us minded the constant shooting. That being said, I was ready for it to end when the credits finally started rolling.

At some point during the movie I had laid down on my back and, as Kuwabara turned off the television, I rolled over onto my stomach, resting my chin on my crossed arms. "While that wasn't horribly sucktastic, it wasn't outstanding either. I give it a seven out of ten."

"That high?" Keiko asked, turning onto her side and raising an eyebrow at me. "I'd give it a four. Five tops."

"The fight scenes were relatively decent," I said, defending my choice. "Not to mention the fact that the hero was some pretty sexy stuff."

"True," Keiko admitted.

Kuwabara stretched on the couch, clearing his throat loudly. "That's enough about sexy men, thank you very much. Rating wise, I agree with Shy, though clearly not for all the same reasons."

"Yeah, that's because you thought the damsel in distress was the sexy one, not the hunky hero," I said, grinning at him.

He frowned and shook his head. "The only woman I find sexy is my lovely Yukina."

"Sure, whatever you say." I exchanged looks with Keiko and we both broke out into laughter. The pillow that whacked me in the face promptly ended my good humor. "Watch it," I warned.

"Serves you right," Kuwabara muttered.

"Now, now, children. Calm down," Keiko said, barely containing her laughter.

There was a momentary silence and then I said, "Just admit that you thought she was attractive."

"Shut up, Shyle!" Kuwabara barked, flinging another pillow.

Another silence fell, during which I grabbed the two pillows that I had been hit with and hugged them to me. "Just so you know, you aren't getting these back."

"Aw, but, Shy, those are the only pillows I had."

"You should have thought about that before you used them as projectiles."

"Damn it."

* * *

The next morning we had breakfast together before going our separate ways for the day. We planned to meet up at Kuwabara's around five so that we could decide what to do for dinner.

Keiko and I had talked about me getting back into working and it was decided that I would have one more day off before joining Keiko. The diner still wasn't as busy as it had been before we'd gone to Genkai's, which meant that Keiko didn't really need my help. She was slightly worried that her prolonged absence had driven away all but the diner's most loyal customers, but I had a feeling that they simply didn't realize that the diner was back open. Once they knew it was, I was sure they would all come back.

I wasn't entirely sure what Kuwabara was doing with his day, though I assumed that it had something to do with his rapidly approaching wedding. In eight days time he would be a married man.

As for my day, I planned to go for a run and then clean up my apartment. Hiei's absence meant that there wouldn't be anyone under my feet, leaving me free to clean in peace. I could blare music and sing at the top of my lungs without fear of embarrassment.

I went for a relatively long run, lengthening my normal three mile loop through the park into five miles, and showered before getting down to business. Cleaning wasn't something I minded doing. It provided me with time consuming tasks that didn't give me a lot of thinking time. Plus, dancing around my apartment while I worked was fun.

I was dusting my room when I found it, the tattered magazine that Keiko and I had argued about over a month ago. It had been stuffed at the bottom of my duffel bag the day we came back from Genkai's and I'd tossed it carelessly on the ground. Somehow the magazine had ended up under my bed, which was where I first saw it.

Raising a surprised eyebrow, I pulled the magazine out from under the bed by a dog-eared corner and flipped through it carelessly, stopping on the article that had been the subject of my debate with Keiko and then the rest of our friends.

Tracing a finger over the glossy writing, I murmured the title, "Ten Ways to Know if He's Into You."

I realized slowly that I had been right. I'd told Keiko that I would know if my boyfriend cared about me without the help of a magazine article and I did. I knew without a doubt that Hiei was serious about being with me. But it wasn't for the reasons I'd expected.

Hiei had refused to give an opinion on the article, stating that he was a demon and they went about dating far differently than humans. That being said, he did go so far as to clarify that when demons courted their potentials they made sure to make their intentions very clear. And he had most certainly done that. From day one, he had made it public knowledge that he wanted me to be his mate.

So really, I was only right because I was dating a demon. Had Hiei not told me that he wanted to mate me, I doubt that I would have known he was so serious about me.

Smiling faintly, I decided to see if the magazine would have even been any help. Knowing that Hiei wasn't human and may not fit the magazine's guidelines perfectly, I started reading. I skimmed the reasons, murmuring aloud the parts that stuck out.

"He actively takes an interest in you and what you have to say. He's not just nodding and smiling and checking his watch every five minutes like you're trying to sell him life insurance." That couldn't be truer. When we had first started asking each other questions, I had thought he was biding his time by asking me easy questions. In reality, he had been learning about me, filing away every bit of information he learned so that he could use it later.

"He's forthcoming. He wants you to know about him," I read softly, unable to stop a small bubble of laughter. Yusuke and Kuwabara would be stunned if I ever told them how willing to talk about himself Hiei had been. There's no way in hell they would believe me.

But he'd been open with me because he had been building a relationship between us, without me even realizing it. Suddenly, I was left wondering exactly how long Hiei had been planning to court me.

I outright laughed at the third reason, giggling as I read it aloud. "He'll mark his won't pee on you or anything per se, but he will exhibit some animal behavior. If he's decided he wants you as his female, he won't want to lose you. If there's any chance that you might be snapped up by another male, he'll stake his claim. He'll be tactile with you, slipping an arm around you, possibly posturing and standing up when another guy walks onto the scene. Watch out for some regression to a more primitive man. If you hear grunting, don't panic. It's his way of saying he likes you."

Beyond the fact that he had blatantly rubbed our relationship in Daisuke's face, there was the literal issue of him marking me to consider. The article's author hadn't realized how close to home they had hit. Demons marked their mate with a bite on the neck and that was Hiei's goal.

I skipped reason four altogether. Hiei wouldn't be calling me anytime soon. Not because he didn't want to, but because I was pretty sure he didn't know how.

"He'll check you out," I read, snorting. Yeah, Hiei did a surprisingly large amount of that. I caught Hiei studying me at the strangest times, when I was a sweaty mess after a run or in the morning when I had just rolled out of bed. It was strangely flattering that he could find me captivating to watch even when I was sure to look like absolute crap.

"He's flirtatious. Guys get playful around women they like. It's a little dance he's doing around you to show his interest and his daring. However, he's not just being flirty, he's also probing. He's putting on a little show for you to see if you'll reciprocate. The more you play, the more he stays."

I grinned, remembering the little kisses he gifted me with whenever the opportunity presented itself and his habit of walking around clad only in boxers. I hadn't expected him to be so open and loving, it just didn't seem like him, but he most definitely was.

I dismissed reason seven just as I had number four. Hiei didn't need to plan future dates. We'd been living together ever since we'd started dating so being together had never been a problem.

Reading reason number eight, I recalled telling the guys how similar it was to number one and couldn't help but think the same thing once more. Rather than dwelling on a reason I'd already thought about, I continued on to number nine, but was disappointed to find that it wasn't applicable to Hiei.

"He'll blow off his buddies to be with you. It's always tricky managing existing commitments with burgeoning relationships," I murmured. He didn't need to ditch his friends, not considering that we had the same friends. In fact, we'd met each other through them. If one of us wanted to spend time with our friends, the other simply went with them.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my attention to the last reason and read it slowly, "Acts of selflessness. He'll take one for the team of you and him. These can be large or small acts. They can be as small as holding your hair back for when you've got stomach flu, or as large as suffering through a Utada Hikaru concert and pretending he's enjoying it because you're a fan."

That reason was indeed applicable. After all, Hiei had given in and gone to the amusement park only a few days ago. And that was only one of the many things that he had done for me. He let me sleep on the left side of our bed because I liked sleeping closer to the wall, despite telling me once that he preferred the left. He went for runs with me, even though he couldn't possibly enjoy running at such a slow pace.

He'd given me so much and, for the life of me, I couldn't think of anything I'd given him.

* * *

AN: The article has made a return. If you want to read it in its entirety, the whole article is present in Chapter 2. I probably should have said this when I first used the article, but I'll say it now: I don't own the article. I didn't create it or come up with any of its ideas. I read the article online and it inspired me to write this story. Strange, huh?

Thanks to those of you that reviewed, but my total for last chapter dropped again, which made me sad. So here's what I was thinking. Since over eighty people have this story on their alerts list, why can't more of you leave reviews? If you're receiving emails every time I update, then you must like the story. Review and tell me why.

Oh, and I'm still looking for my first flame. Is it weird that I want one?


	27. I Want It That Way

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will. Similiarly, I lay no claim to the Backstreet Boys or their song 'I Want It That Way.'

* * *

"So," I muttered through a yawn, "what's the plan for night four of the indefinite sleepover?" I flopped down in an armchair in Kuwabara's living room, shoving a hand through my hair and trying to untangle it.

I'd been right about Keiko's customers coming back. I just wished they hadn't done so on my second day of work. After weeks of not working, getting back into the swing of things was proving harder than I had initially expected it would be.

Dozens of crazy ass customers hadn't helped. And, quite frankly, tired didn't begin to cover how I felt.

"I was thinking takeout and then movies," Kuwabara answered, emerging from the kitchen with a soda in hand and dropping into a seat on the couch.

"Movies will most definitely put me to sleep," I informed him, my eyes falling shut even as I spoke.

"Something else then," Keiko suggested.

"There had better be takeout involved," Kuwabara insisted.

"And caffeine."

Keiko laughed. "Well, considering how many demands you two are making, would you like to decide what we do?" She took a seat beside Kuwabara and waited silently, watching us.

"I'm too tired to make decisions," I groaned, throwing an arm over my eyes.

"Wow, you're overdramatic," Kuwabara observed. "What do you guys say to takeout and karaoke?"

I sat up straight and gave the idea some thought. "Well, I certainly won't be able to fall asleep with you caterwauling along to some of my favorite songs. Your idea has some merit, but there is one requirement that I feel I must impose." I paused, giving him time to think of all the horrible things I could potentially force him to do, before continuing lightheartedly, "Whatever takeout we get must include french-fries."

Kuwabara stared at me for a second before narrowing his eyes into a glare. "I thought you were going to request something important. I don't care what kind of food we get. Jeeze, Shy, don't scare me like that."

"Isn't it rather pathetic that little, old me can scare the mighty Kazuma Kuwabara?" I asked Keiko, feigning shock.

"Maybe he isn't so mighty after all," Keiko replied, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"You guys are obnoxious," Kuwabara snapped, standing up and heading for the kitchen. He returned a few seconds later with his phone and a stack of takeout menus. "Pick one," he instructed, throwing the menus into my lap.

Beginning to sort through the pile, I raised an amused eyebrow at him. "How the hell did you manage to get so many in such a short time?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, I just did."

"You order too much takeout," I told him flatly. Deciding on a menu, I dropped the rest of the stack on the floor and opened it, scanning for something I wanted. I settled for a wrap and tossed the menu to Keiko, who picked a meal and handed the menu to Kuwabara.

Once he had made his decision, he called the restaurant and placed our order. Keiko and I nominated Kuwabara to go get the food and he left, muttering about unappreciative, bossy girls.

While he was gone, Keiko began setting up Kuwabara's gaming system for karaoke and I slipped into the kitchen. I drained a can of soda and grabbed another before joining her in the living room. "Why am I so freaking tired?" I asked, dropping into the armchair once more.

Keiko glanced up at me, smiling at my whining. "I didn't realize that you had gotten so lazy."

"Yeah, well, shit happens," I muttered, taking a sip from my soda. "How many of these do you think I need in order to stay awake?" I eyed the soda in my hand, wondering how much caffeine was in one can.

"Do you really expect me to have an answer to that question?"

"No, not really, but I had hope. And now you've dashed it, so I hope you're happy."

"You're annoying when you're tired," Keiko said, rocking back on her heels and preparing to stand up.

"Which disc should we use first?" I asked, changing the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"He has a bunch of discs and each one has different song selections. Personally, I think we should use the 'Best of Backstreet' one, but that's just me."

"'Best of Backstreet'? What is that?"

"The Backstreet Boys! Come on, Keiko. I mean really, were you deprived as a child?" I frowned at her, shaking my head sadly. "They are only the bestest boy band ever."

"Bestest? Did you actually just use that word?"

"Actually, I'm pretty sure it isn't a word," I said, grinning at her cheekily. She shot me an annoyed look just as the door open and Kuwabara entered, holding a bag in one hand and trying to tug his key out of the lock with the other. "You are aware that you didn't lock the door before you left, aren't you?"

"Shut it, Shy!" he barked, nearly dropping the bag when he tugged ferociously on the key and it finally came free. "Come get your food."

"Aw, you aren't going to bring it to us?" I whined, pouting.

"Is she okay?" Kuwabara asked Keiko, eyeing me worriedly.

"She's tired," Keiko answered. She stood and took the bag of food from Kuwabara, placing it on the coffee table. Pulling two styrofoam containers from the bag, she brought one to me and then returned to her seat on the couch.

"Thanks, bestest buddy," I said, popping open my container and picking up my wrap. I took a big bite and smiled contently.

Keiko sighed. "There's that word again."

"It's still not a word," I said, shaking my head at her.

"What word?" Kuwabara asked, glancing between us in confusion.

"It's not a word," I snapped.

Rather than asking his question once more, Kuwabara retrieved his food and took a seat on the couch. "Never mind, I really don't think I want to know."

"That's probably a wise decision," Keiko said.

We ate in relative silence, each too focused on our own meal to bother holding a conversation. My wrap was wonderfully delicious and, much to my delight, so were my french-fries. When we had all finished eating, we cleaned up our mess and returned to the living room to commence our night of karaoke.

I grabbed the controller, turned on the gaming system, and slid in the 'Best of Backstreet' disc before returning to my seat. Kuwabara turned on the television and glanced at me. "Well, what song are you going to sing?" he asked.

"Me? Oh, no. You're going first. This was your idea so it's only right that you get to start things."

He sighed, but didn't argue. "Fine, but can I have the controller so that I can pick a song?"

I snorted and shook my head. "Nope. I'm going to pick you a song." Ignoring his horrified look, I flicked through the song list, trying to find a song that I wanted him to sing.

Keiko attempted to reassure Kuwabara. "Don't worry, I'm sure Shy and I will end up singing too. You won't be on your own the whole time."

"Yeah," I said, grinning as I picked a song. "I call singing all of Kevin's parts."

"You do realize that, as a self-respecting man, I don't know who any of the Backstreet Boys are, right?"

I rolled my eyes and waved him off. "Well, when I start singing you'll know that it's Kevin's part."

"Why do want to sing his part anyway?" Kuwabara asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Because he is awesome." I hit play and the first chords of music started. "Sing," I instructed.

He sighed, but looked at the screen and started to sing. It didn't matter that he was off-key and sounded like crap because I had little doubt that Keiko and I would be dreadful as well. It was the very fact that none of us minded embarrassing ourselves that made karaoke fun.

"Yeah. You are my fire. The one desire. Believe, when I say, I want it that way." Keiko and I burst into laughter as Kuwabara focused on the unfamiliar words. His eyebrows had pulled together in concentration and he was leaning forward in his seat, staring at the screen. He grew more comfortable as he reached the chorus, which he probably recognized. "Tell my why, ain't nothin' but a heartache. Tell me why, ain't nothin' but a mistake. Tell me why, I never wanna hear you say, I want it that way."

Keiko joined in on the next verse, singing despite her giggles. "Am I your fire? Your one desire? Yes I know, it's too late, but I want it that way."

I waited through the next chorus, eagerly preparing for Kevin's part. Grinning, I started singing loudly, "Now I can see that we're falling apart from the way that it used to be, yeah. No matter the distance I want you to know, that deep down inside of me…"

I kept singing even after Kevin's part had ended and we finished the song together. I went out of my way to be dramatic and it wasn't long before Kuwabara picked up the television remote and began using it like a microphone. Even Keiko was singing at the top of her lungs by the last line and as the final word was highlighted we all collapsed back into our seats, laughing uncontrollably.

When we had gotten ourselves under control, Kuwabara held out his hand to me. "Okay, Shy, I sang your choice. Now it's my turn to pick a song." Giving in without argument, I passed him the controller and watched as he scrolled through the song list. "Is this all Backstreet Boys?"

"You know it," I said, grinning when he made face.

"What's a good song to make her sing?" he asked Keiko, clearly unsure what any of the songs were.

Keiko only laughed at him. "She isn't going to be embarrassed about having to sing any of these songs, Kuwabara."

"Damn. Well then, I'm changing the disc." He stood up and grabbed the stack of discs, looking through them for a suitable one. Making a decision, he switched out the 'Best of Backstreet' disc for his choice and began flicking through the song list.

And so began some of the most hilarious hours of my life. We each tried to outdo each other, picking increasingly annoying songs and then belting them out at the top of our lungs. Keiko spent most of the time slumped in her seat, laughing too hard to even participate.

Kuwabara was in the middle of a crazy dance to one of the songs when a voice sounded from the doorway. "What the hell is going on in here? It sounds like a cat is being killed."

For a second we all froze, though the music continued playing, and then I was on my feet bolting for the door. I passed Yusuke without a second glance and threw myself at Hiei, wrapping my arms around his neck. A grunt sounded behind me and I assumed Keiko had followed my example.

"Hiei," I whispered, inhaling his scent and smiling as he returned my embrace. I noticed vaguely that he was in the same clothes that he had left in, but I didn't care.

"Hey, babe," Yusuke said. "It's great to see you, too. But, um, would you mind letting go?" Frowning, I pulled away from Hiei and turned to see Yusuke holding Keiko at arms length. He laughed nervously and she frowned at him.

"What's wrong?" I asked Hiei quietly.

But it was Yusuke that answered. He was looking at Keiko and I don't think he had even heard my question. It seemed more like he was trying to explain himself to Keiko before she got too angry. "I, uh, kind of got injured."

"No freaking way," Kuwabara said. He had come over toward the door and was grinning at Yusuke. "Not at tough as you think, huh?"

"Shut up," Yusuke muttered, his eyes still on Keiko.

"How did you get hurt?" she asked, studying him, trying to see where he was hurt.

"Why don't we sit down," Kurama said, gesturing to the couch and armchair.

Grabbing Hiei's wrist, I pulled him over to the armchair and moved to sit on the arm while he took the chair. He got comfortable and, to my surprise, gripped my hips and shifted me into his lap. For a fraction of a second I considered struggling, but then his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back against him, making me far too comfortable to want to resist. I rested my head against his shoulder and waited for the others to take their seats.

Kuwabara turned off the gaming system and television before sitting down on the air mattress that still took over most of the living room floor. Kurama, Yusuke, and Keiko each sat on the couch. Keiko was watching Yusuke worriedly and I could tell that she was itching to ask him where he was hurt.

"So, feel free to start explaining," Kuwabara said impatiently.

The three fighters exchanged looks and apparently decided that Kurama would be the one to enlighten us. He smiled exhaustedly and began. "Well, our tip was correct. Epsilon was indeed in Alaric and he had only a few of his followers with him. That said, things did not go as well as we would have hoped."

"Meaning what?" Keiko asked.

"Epsilon's powers, whatever they are, proved troublesome. Yusuke and Mukuro focused their attacks on him, but he always seemed to come away unfazed. We assume that his powers are defensively based, but what exactly they are is impossible to say. As for how Yusuke got hurt, I've simply never seen anything like it."

Yusuke snorted. "The hebi freaking caught my attack and threw it back at me. He caught my spirit gun." He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Directing his gaze to Kuwabara, he said, "Can you believe that?"

I didn't really know much about Yusuke's abilities, but I knew that his spirit gun was one of his strongest attacks. That Epsilon came away from it uninjured and had even been able to use against Yusuke was frightening.

Yusuke shook his head in frustration. "We didn't have a healer on hand. Mukuro only brought one and he was killed. So my chest is a mess. I wrapped it after the fight and Kurama made me drink some disgusting concoction to fight infection, but that's all we were able to do."

There was a momentary silence, which was broken when Keiko took a deep breath and said, "I'll call Botan tomorrow and have her come heal you."

"We already did," Yusuke told her. "She's going to come by tomorrow morning before the diner opens."

Kuwabara spoke up next, asking the same question that had been bothering me, although I probably would have phrased it differently. "Did you kill Mecca?"

Hiei stiffened and his arms tightened around my waist. Without thinking, I pressed a kiss to his collarbone in an attempt to calm him. He didn't react to me and growled, "The scum wasn't there."

"What? But I thought he was Epsilon's strongest follower," I said.

"He is," Kurama replied. "I believe that Epsilon probably left Mecca with the rest of his followers. As I said, only a few of his followers were with him."

"Disma was there though," Yusuke added. "You know who that is, right? The female raion that Botan told us was Mecca's second in command. Hiei kicked her ass."

"Hn, I failed to kill her," Hiei stated flatly. "Had I succeeded, she wouldn't have been able to open a portal and escape with Epsilon."

"What do you mean, shrimp?" Kuwabara asked.

It was Kurama that answered. "Hiei severely injured Disma, but failed to kill her. As a result, she was able to use her powers to create a portal and escape, taking Epsilon with her in the process."

Yusuke sighed. "That was my fault. I was so stunned that Epsilon had hit me with my own attack that I didn't prevent him from getting away."

Another silence descended on the room. I yawned tiredly. Now that we weren't singing anymore, my exhaustion had returned full force and I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. Hiei seemed to notice and he shook me lightly, making sure I wasn't asleep. I tried to suppress another yawn and asked, "Can we continue this conversation at a later date? I'm not going to be able to drive home if this takes much longer."

The others agreed with me and we began to clean up the apartment. Hiei helped me deflate the air mattress and stuff it into its bag. I retrieved my duffel bag from Kuwabara's bedroom and returned to the living room. We bid everyone goodnight and headed for my car. I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and Hiei carried the air mattress.

As soon as we were alone, I was at a loss for anything to say. I'd thought that I wouldn't know what to say first, but instead I couldn't make any words come. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, that he meant everything to me.

But I didn't. It felt wrong.

I drove in silence, praying that Hiei credited the lack of conversation to me being tired rather than uncomfortable. The reason for my awkwardness hit me suddenly: my realization from a few days ago was eating at me.

I'd been trying desperately to think of something that I had given up for him. To my utter disappointment, I hadn't been able to. All I did was take, take, take, without any consideration for him. That wasn't how it should work. Where was the balance?

Parking my car in front of the apartment building, I forced myself to calm down. The last thing I needed was to freak out. Hiei had just come back from the Makai. He was probably exhausted and certainly didn't need to deal with my crap.

We walked together to the building, our footsteps eerily loud in the deserted parking lot. He didn't seem to mind the silence and it continued as we made our way up the stairs. It was only when we reached the door to our apartment that one of us spoke. "They finally fixed the light," I said, trying desperately to make some kind of conversation.

It was a miserable attempt and I knew it. If Hiei realized the same thing, he didn't indicate it. "Hn, I noticed."

I let us in easily with my key and headed for our bedroom. Hiei followed me, leaving the air mattress in the living room. "I need to shower," he informed me from the doorway. "Do you need the bathroom?"

"Yeah, just give me ten minutes." I fished my toiletries out of my duffel bag and slipped into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth quickly, staring at myself in the mirror. Why did I feel so awkward? It had been so easy before he left and now I was a nervous, jittery mess.

Spitting into the sink, I placed my toothbrush in the holder and finished getting ready. When I returned to our bedroom, Hiei kissed me briefly and then headed for the bathroom. I changed and slipped into bed, rolling onto my side and glaring at the wall.

I listened to the shower, hoping the gentle noise would soothe me.

It didn't.

Hiei joined me in bed a few minutes later. I twisted around to face him and traced a finger over the muscles on his chest. "Shyle, are you alright?" he asked, startling me. It seemed he'd noticed my odd behavior, despite my prayers that he wouldn't.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I lied. Searching for a different topic, I asked, "Did you get hurt at all?"

"I received no serious injuries," he answered. His hand rubbed my back comfortingly and he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Sleep, Shyle. We can talk in the morning."

I didn't argue. If I was lucky, I'd be back to normal by the morning. "Goodnight, Hiei. I'm glad you're home."

"Goodnight, Shyle."

* * *

AN: You're probably wondering why the hell I would pick 'I Want It That Way' for the song for them to sing. And, well, there are many reasons. For one, I love BSB. They're awesome (way better than N'Sync) and their music is pretty good. Plus, I figured that a decent portion of people would recognize the song. And finally, I am very comfortable with their music because my friends and I are pretty obsessed with their band (we had a BSB themed Christmas party last year) and therefore I can recognize who is singing at any given time (hence Shy singing Kevin's part).

Anyway, I'm not thrilled about the chapter title, but I'm pressed for time and don't want to waste any trying to figure out a better title.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys definitely keep me writing. And, just because I'm evil, I'll give you a little teaser: Next chapter is going to be titled **Superman**. Make of that what you will.


	28. Superman

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will. Similarly, I lay no claim to 'Superman' by Five For Fighting.

* * *

The quiet chatter of the guests outside drifted to my ears and I glanced once toward the rows of seats on the lawn. I'd have to take my own seat pretty soon, but I had something to do first. Turning away from the window, I padded down the hallway where we had slept during the time we had spent at the shrine.

I had to admit that Kuwabara had picked an appropriate venue for the wedding. Genkai's shrine was the perfect place for the mixed crowd of guests that had been invited to the wedding. The dozen or so demons that had been invited would have attracted attention had the wedding been held in the city and the use of portals had made transportation easy and inconspicuous. Not to mention, the shrine was beautiful this time of year. The lush, green lawn and the gorgeous, well tended gardens provided an incredible backdrop for the wedding.

The shrine had been divided in half for preparation purposes. The kitchen and Genkai's living quarters provided Yukina and her bridesmaids with an area to get ready and the bedroom hallway was for Kuwabara and his groomsmen, while the living room acted as a neutral zone.

I came to a halt in the doorway of the bathroom and spotted Kuwabara staring at himself in the mirror, his fists braced on the edge of the counter. Leaning against the doorway, I watched him for a second. He was dressed and ready, probably just waiting for the signal to make his way outside.

"Knock, knock."

He glanced away from the mirror and smiled at me. It was a nervous smile, faintly anxious. "Hey, Shy. Shouldn't you be outside?"

I shrugged. "I wanted to see unmarried Kuwabara one last time." I stepped inside the bathroom, stopping beside him. Cocking my head to the side, I studied our reflections in the mirror. "How are you feeling?"

"Restless, tense, like I just got punched in the gut." He paused, his gaze meeting mine in the mirror. "Excited, thrilled, ready to begin the rest of my life with Yukina by my side."

Laughing, I ran my hands down my dress, smoothing out the silky material. "You aren't scared to tie the knot."

"I'm marrying Yukina. What's there to be scared about?" A sudden grin spread across his face. "Yukina and I are perfect for each other."

"It's about time you realized that," I said, rolling my eyes at him.

"Yeah, I guess." He straightened his jacket and took a deep breath. "I'm still nervous about the wedding and all that, but I just keep reminding myself that after the vows comes the reception and then, well, you know."

Frowning, I shook my head. "Actually, no, I don't."

"Come on, Shy. You can't be serious." When he saw that I was, he continued, "She's a demon, Shy. The wedding only takes care of the human part of the deal. You're a smart girl. Fill in the blanks."

My eyes widened and I blushed. "Oh, right." They'd be sleeping together so that Yukina could claim Kuwabara as her mate. "How does that work exactly?" I muttered, barely able to get the question out.

"What do you mean?"

"How does a mating work?"

"Well, um, there's…" he trailed off, too embarrassed to continue.

"Sex. Yeah, okay, no need to get embarrassed."

He shot me a look, but started talking once more. "So you have sex and, um, the demon bites your neck. And that's pretty much it. It would be different if it were two demons mating because they'd both mark one another, but for me and Yukina or you and Hiei only one mark would be given." He raised an eyebrow at me in question. "Hasn't anyone explained it to you?"

"Not really. I mean, Keiko has told me some things in passing, but nothing concrete."

Kuwabara nodded and, with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, asked, "What's got you so interested? Are you and Hiei going to seal the deal soon?"

My breath caught in my throat. Turning away from the mirror, I tried to figure out how to respond. "Um, well, I don't know. I'm not sure I'm ready." Moving to the doorway, I glanced once over my shoulder. "Good luck, Kuwabara. I'll be sitting in the front row."

"Thanks, Shy. Save a dance for me at the reception?"

"Of course."

* * *

'Till death do us part.'

I shook my head, banishing the words from my mind and forcing myself to pay attention to the wedding reception. My eyes roaming over the backyard, I attempted to name each of the people I had been introduced to, hoping to distract myself from my troubled thoughts.

I'd finally met Koenma, who I had heard hundreds of stories about from Yusuke. The spirit prince had come in his teenager form and had conducted the ceremony, instructing Yukina and Kuwabara in their vows.

Cursing mentally, I tore my gaze from Koenma and yet again pushed away the words that had been bothering me ever since the ceremony.

My eyes came to rest on a small cluster of demons. They were rather rowdy, arguing and bickering with one another. Yusuke had introduced me to them earlier in the day. We had arrived at the same time, Hiei and I stepping out of our portal just as the demons had emerged from theirs.

The demons hadn't seemed to stop arguing since they'd arrived. Even as I watched, Genkai made her way to them, yelling for Jin to get his damn feet back on the ground and Chu to put down the bottle of champagne. The ice demon Yusuke had called Touya was watching his friends with a faintly amused expression on his face, a glass of champagne in his hand.

It was easy to keep myself distracted, using people watching as a way to control my thoughts. After Kuwabara and Yukina had shared the customary first dance, the area marked out as the dance floor had flooded with people and had been filled ever since. Watching the dancers, I remembered that I'd yet to fulfill my promise to Kuwabara. Dancing with him would be good for me. Maybe he would be able to answer the question that had been bothering me.

I had just spotted him in the crowd and was about to start toward him, when I realized that I shouldn't burden him with my issues. This was his day. The last thing he needed was to hear about my relationship issues.

'Till death do us part.'

I shuddered at the words and scanned the crowd, looking for Hiei. He was at the other edge of the dance floor, locked in conversation with Kurama.

"Shy!" Keiko's voice pulled my attention away from Hiei and I turned toward her, forcing a smile onto my face. Botan and Shizuru were with her, walking at her sides. My smile became genuine at the sight of them. They were dressed identically in their bridesmaids' dresses, but couldn't have appeared more unalike one another if they had tried.

Shizuru looked bored, though she inclined her head to me in greeting. I had met Kuwabara's sister ages ago when I first slept over his house. While I wasn't close to the older woman, I liked her and found her very funny.

Compared to Shizuru, Botan seemed as though she was having the time of her life. The ferry girl's eyes were shining and the smile stretching across her face appeared almost painfully wide.

For her part, Keiko looked mildly annoyed. And, judging by the glare she was giving me, I had a feeling her annoyance was aimed at me.

"What's up?" I asked when they had reached me.

Keiko ignored my question and retaliated with her own. "What's wrong?"

I didn't bother arguing with Keiko, there was no point in lying and saying I was alright. Sighing, I asked, "What gave me away?"

"You haven't danced with anyone, not even Hiei. You're standing over here all alone. Besides, I know you well enough to know when you're upset." Keiko frowned at me. "So, what's wrong?"

I looked away, my gaze returning to Hiei. "I'm not even really sure."

'Till death do us part.'

"Okay, that's a lie." I glanced at Botan and Shizuru, not wanting to tell Keiko the truth in front of them. "You know what, it's not important. Let's go dance," I said, grabbing Keiko's wrist and pulling her toward the dance floor.

I forced myself to focus on my friends, laughing and joking with them while we danced. Yusuke found us at some point, sidling up next to Keiko and wrapping his arms around her. When a slow song started, Shizuru and I excused ourselves from the others and made our way off the dance floor. Botan stayed behind, having found a dance partner.

"I'm going to go find my baby bro," Shizuru informed me, already moving away into the crowd. "You'll be alright alone?"

"Sure," I answered. I watched her retreating back for a second before glancing toward the spot where I had last seen Kurama and Hiei. Raising an eyebrow when I saw that Kurama was alone, I headed for the redhead.

I didn't want to ruin Kuwabara's day and Keiko was with people, but there was nothing preventing me from asking Kurama my question. "Hey," I murmured, coming to a halt at his side. "Where'd Hiei go?"

"I convinced him to dance with Yukina. As a friend only, of course." Kurama's gaze was directed at the dance floor and I followed his line of sight to see Hiei and Yukina dancing.

"I never would have realized they were related if he hadn't told me," I said, buying myself time before I got to my question.

He nodded and took a sip of his glass of champagne. "Did you need something, Shy? You haven't seemed yourself all day."

"You noticed that, too?" Kurama glanced at me, silently asking what I meant. "Keiko asked me what was wrong a few minutes ago and, well, I'm not entirely sure."

"Why don't you tell me what you can? I'll try to help you make sense of whatever's bothering you."

"Yeah, um, I kind of know what the issue is. It's because of the vows." I hesitated, toying with a piece of my hair. "The whole 'till death do us part' thing got me thinking. I know that a mating is permanent, there's no going back, no divorce. That's not what's getting to me."

"Then what is?"

Knowing that my question would seem blunt, I plowed ahead anyway. "When one mate dies, the other one does as well, right?"

Startled, he choked on a sip of champagne. "Excuse me?"

"The possibility of divorce isn't the only difference between a mating and a marriage. It's just that the other difference isn't broadcast." I took the glass of champagne from his hand and downed it in one gulp. "When a husband or wife dies, their partner doesn't. A marriage doesn't seal a person's life span to that of their spouse, but a mating does, right?"

Kurama took his time answering. His gaze had returned to Hiei and Yukina and I had feeling that he was trying to figure out how his answer was going to affect his best friend. Finally, he said, "Yes, Shyle. A demon will not live once their mate has died."

"A demon won't live? Why did you specify it like that?" I wished suddenly that I had another glass of champagne. A buzz might be able to counteract the horrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"A mating would not affect you the way it would Hiei. Matings work the way they do due to a demon's energy. Because you do not possess any demon energy, a mating can not bind you in any way."

"Meaning?"

"From what you've been told, you've assumed that humans and demons are affected the same way by a mating, but that is not the case. For instance, while you could never divorce Hiei and would always bear his mark, you would be able to have a relationship with another man. Hiei would not be able to do so. If he were to attempt a relationship, it would put him in physical pain."

My hand clenched around the stem of my champagne glass. Why hadn't anyone told me that before? "You're avoiding the original question," I stated, keeping my tumultuous emotions out of my voice.

"Must I say it?" Kurama asked. When I didn't respond, he sighed. "Shy, we both know what I'm about to say."

"So say it."

"If you died, Hiei would as well. But if Hiei was the one to die, you would not."

I felt as though I'd been sucker punched. The air rushed from my lungs and I had to close my eyes. When I had come to see Kurama, I'd thought that I knew the answer to my question, but I was wrong. I was so freaking wrong.

I muttered an excuse and darted away from Kurama, escaping toward the shrine. I'd gotten my answer and it was exactly what I hadn't wanted to hear. Slipping into the shrine, I bolted for the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me.

I blamed all of my issues on that stupid magazine. If I'd never found it again, I would never have had these doubts. Assuming a position similar to the one I had found Kuwabara in earlier, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. When did everything get so complicated?

I'd never understood Keiko's reasons for saying no to Yusuke or Kuwabara's jitters about the wedding, but now it all made sense.

Keiko was scared Yusuke wouldn't like her once she aged, which I was starting to realize might actually be a valid fear. Yusuke would stay young for years longer than Keiko and he wouldn't begin to age for centuries. Still, Yusuke loved Keiko regardless of her appearance. Keiko's issues with mating Yusuke were skin deep. In time, I was sure that she would see that Yusuke would always love her.

And from what I'd been able to gather about Kuwabara, his nerves about mating Yukina boiled down to the idea that she would get bored of him. He wasn't a demon and to a certain degree could never truly be a part of her world. But he also represented a whole new world that Yukina wanted to experience.

The sudden confusion that I was feeling had nothing to do with what I would look like in twenty years or the idea that Hiei might not always find me interesting. No, it all came back to what I had realized after reading that damn article.

Give, give, give.

It was all Hiei had done since our relationship had started. And now I realized that he had been intending to give his life as well.

Honestly, that was what it was. He was going to cut his life short by centuries just to be with me. I would die in a few decades, a mere blink of an eye in terms of a demon's lifespan, and I'd take Hiei with me.

Staring at myself in the mirror, I couldn't shake one utterly horrifying thought.

If I let Hiei mark me, I would be signing his death sentence. I would be murdering the man I love.

* * *

"Congratulations, Kuwabara," I murmured, hugging my friend and squeezing tightly.

Returning the hug, he said, "Thanks, Shy. I'm a married man now. Crazy, huh?"

"That you're the first one of us to get hitched? Yeah, I'd call that crazy," I answered cheekily, grinning at him.

"Goodnight, Shy. Thanks for coming." He released me and stepped back, turning his attention to another departing guest.

"Goodnight," I whispered. I looked around, trying to spot Hiei in the crowd. Koenma was opening portals for departure and the shrine's front yard was a mess of milling people. I finally caught sight of Hiei and headed toward him, hoping that I would do as good a job tricking him as I had everyone else.

After my horrifying realization in the bathroom, I'd gotten control of myself and returned to the reception. As far as I could tell, I had managed to convince my friends that I was enjoying myself. In all actuality, I wanted to curl up into the fetal position and cry. I needed time to think, time to myself so that I could figure out how to deal with this.

I stopped beside Hiei, smiling at him. I'd changed out of my dress and when he noticed that I was carrying it in a bag he took it from me, draping it over his arm. Leaning forward, he kissed me softly.

I hadn't seen much of him all day. We'd danced together a few times, but I'd tried to avoid him as much as possible. I had no idea what to say around him, how to act.

So I'd stayed away from him.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I congratulated Kuwabara and Yukina and I've said goodbye to the others. You?"

"Hn." His hand on my elbow, he guided me toward Koenma, pushing his way through the crowd to the spirit prince.

"Where would you like to go?" Koenma asked, his patience clearly wearing thing.

"My car is at the Yukimura's diner. Could you send us there?" I requested. Sucking hard on his pacifier, Koenma waved his hand and summoned a portal. Thanking him quickly, I stepped through the portal into the diner. Hiei followed me a second later and we headed outside to my car.

Climbing into the car, I allowed myself to get lost in my thoughts once more. The car ride was nearly silent, but I didn't really mind. I parked in front of our apartment building and headed inside, Hiei on my heels.

Slipping into the stairwell, I walked up the stairs slowly, too absorbed by my thoughts to walk any faster.

I'd thought that I wanted what Keiko had. Yusuke would give anything for her. His life, his heart, his happiness. He'd stayed with her even though she wouldn't marry him. I had always viewed his sacrifices like those of a hero.

But I was starting to see that they weren't. The things Yusuke did had nothing to do with him being a hero. He did them because he loved Keiko.

I couldn't expect Hiei to be a hero; I couldn't expect anyone to be a hero. That wasn't how relationships were supposed to work. I needed to give as much as I took.

Or perhaps I just needed to stop taking.

My foot caught on a stair and I tripped, tumbling toward the landing on the third floor, but I never landed. Hiei's hands were on my waist, pulling me to him and to safety, my dress falling forgotten to the floor. Blushing, I murmured a quick thanks.

He didn't respond and before I had fully understood what was happening he was pushing me backwards toward the wall, his lips pressed fiercely to mine. His hands glided up my sides, sliding beneath the material of my shirt and over my stomach. Kissing his way down my jaw, he ran his fingertips along the edge of my bra.

His kisses and hands wiped all thought from my mind and left me gasping and confused. What was going on? He'd never been this intense before.

He pulled away from me slightly, his breath hot against my lips. "We should go inside." Barely able to breathe, I met his gaze and nearly balked at the intensity that I saw there. He couldn't possibly think that today would be the day I became his mate, could he?

But as he turned away from me, picked up my dress, and headed toward our apartment, I couldn't help assuming that that was exactly what he was expecting. I followed him slowly, struggling with what to do. I wasn't ready to be his mate, not considering all of my current doubts. I needed time to think.

I closed the apartment door behind me and trailed after Hiei into the living room. "Look, Hiei, we need to talk."

"We can talk later," he replied, his voice deeper than normal. As he closed the distance between us, I resisted the urge to back away from him. Shaking my head, I tried to tell him that we needed to talk now, but he pressed his lips to mine before I could do so.

He picked me up and walked to the couch. Laying me down, he straddled my waist. His hands slipped beneath my shirt once more, sliding it up. I shifted, trying to push him away. Pressing my hands to his shoulders, I shoved as hard as I could and, though I doubted I'd been strong enough to actually move him, he pulled away.

"Shyle?" Suddenly he didn't seem so sure of himself. The intensity of only a few minutes earlier was fading, being replaced by confusion.

"Hiei, I can't." I hesitated a fraction of a second. It was too late to go back now. I couldn't lie to him and let this continue. "I can't do this."

He rocked back onto his knees, looming over me. "What are you saying?"

How could I explain all of my confusion? How could I tell him what was wrong? I realized with startling clarity that he wouldn't understand. We wouldn't be able to do what Keiko and Yusuke did. They were able to be with one another without a mating or marriage, but Hiei wouldn't be able to make such a concession. Hiei wanted a mate, not a girlfriend, but I couldn't give him that.

Briefly I considered trying to soften the blow somehow, but I knew it was pointless. He would see through any lie I told him. At the same time, there was no reason for me to be hurtful.

"Hiei, I'm sorry. I just can't do this," I repeated, gesturing around to indicate what had been happening. "I can't be your mate."

I'd barely finished speaking before he was moving, standing up and moving away from me. There was a wounded look in his eyes, but it was replaced quickly by a detached blankness. His lips curled into a scowl and he glared at me. "And why is that?"

Pulling my shirt down, I sat up. "I won't kill you, Hiei. I won't let you mate me and cut your life short." Shaking my head, I stood and moved toward him, but he stepped back, keeping the distance between us. "I'm so sorry."

"Keep your apologies," he snarled. Turning swiftly, he strode toward the door without looking back. I watched him go, knowing I had done the right thing.

Still, that didn't stop my tears.

* * *

AN: So who was expecting that?

First of all, I just want to say that this chapter has been planned since day one. In fact, everything else has evolved around the last scene of this chapter. And the song 'Superman' by Five For Fighting goes hand in hand with this scene. That song is my inspiration for this story. The idea that no one is a hero is what drives my thought process.

This chapter may feel slightly choppy, but I almost want it that way. I think it helps show Shy's distressed thoughts and her inability to think the way she normally does.

This chapter is the beginning of the end, but no worries. We've got a lot of action to come.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I'm interested to hear whatever everyone says about this chapter. Love it? Hate it? Hate me? Let me know what you think.

And finally, happy belated birthday to Cibola. I apologize that this didn't come out on your birthday, but it was the most important chapter to date (and I think it's the longest) so I hope you liked it.


	29. Running From Lions

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Open, damn it," I muttered, punching the elevator's call button for the sixth time. I shifted my weight from foot to foot impatiently. Waiting for the elevator always made me feel self-conscious. Standing before the closed doors, I felt unprotected, as though anyone who saw me would know exactly what was wrong.

And there was so much wrong.

The seconds ticked by slowly and I reached out to press the button once more. I'd been taking the elevator for nearly a week, but I still hadn't grown accustomed to waiting for it.

The first morning after I'd broken up with Hiei, I had been halfway to the stairs when I remembered what had happened the night before. The feeling of Hiei's hands and lips had come back so sharply that I had felt physically sick. There was no way in hell I was going to go into that stairwell, not even if my life depended on it.

I'd stood frozen in the hallway for what felt like ages, wondering how on earth I was going to get to the ground floor. It was when I was trying to remember how close the tree outside my window was to the sill that I realized that there was a far simpler way to get downstairs.

The elevator.

"Open!" I snapped, slamming my palm against the call button. A faint ding sounded and the doors slid open, revealing an empty elevator. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside and shoved a hand through my hair. I hit the button for the first floor and leaned back against the wall, straightening my shirt.

I was going to work at the diner, which meant suffering through another day of strained conversation with Keiko. We'd been tiptoeing around one another ever since I'd broken up with Hiei. I knew she was waiting for me to bring up what had happened on my own, but the last thing I wanted was to talk about Hiei.

The elevator opened in the main lobby and I walked toward the doors, heading for my car. I blared the music in my car during the ride, hoping that the noise would help to block out my troubled thoughts.

It didn't.

The first day after Hiei had left had been complete and utter hell. His stuff was scattered across our apartment. Or, well, my apartment now. I'd gathered all of his clothes and shoved them into his duffel bag, crying all the while, tears streaking down my cheeks.

The bag now sat at my front door. I didn't know what to do with it. It would probably be best to give it to Kurama or one of the other guys, but I couldn't bring myself to part with it. The bag and the clothes it contained were all that I had left; they were the only remaining proof that Hiei and I had even been together.

Hiei's katana was missing. It had disappeared that first day while I was at work. I assumed that Hiei had returned to the apartment during the day and retrieved it, but I couldn't begin to guess why he hadn't taken his clothes.

After parking my car, I climbed out, locked the doors, and started toward the diner. The bell tinkled overhead as I opened the door and Keiko glanced up at me. She was seated at one of the tables. Yusuke sat across from her, stuffing a bagel down his throat.

"Morning," I greeted, taking a seat at the table.

Yusuke mumbled something around his mouthful of food, but I couldn't make any sense of it. Sighing, Keiko said, "Morning, Shy. You're here early."

"Am I?" I glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that I was indeed early. "Sorry, I hope it's not a problem."

Yusuke snorted. "Like it would matter if it was. It's not as though we would make you leave." Keiko whacked him solidly on the back of the head and he choked on his next bite of bagel. Shooting Keiko an irritated look, he managed to gain control of his coughing and snapped, "What? I didn't say anything wrong!"

"Of course, you being here early isn't an issue," Keiko assured me. "Yusuke was just finishing breakfast. He's going to meet up with the others at Kurama's. They wanted to discuss what to do about Epsilon and Mecca."

I raised a questioning eyebrow at Yusuke. "What is there to discuss?"

"Um, basically what we're going to do about them. We can't just let them hang out in the Makai, potentially plotting some kind of attack on us. Mukuro knows where they are and has some trackers following their every move." Finished with his bagel, he wiped his hands on his pants and stood up. "The only problem is that we have no idea what Epsilon's powers are. The stupid hebi's abilities are still pretty much a mystery."

"And what about us?" I asked. "What if they come for us while you're at Kurama's?"

"Didn't you hear what I just said? Mukuro's got guys watching everything Epsilon and Mecca do. If either of them comes to the Ningenkai, we'll know." Walking toward the door, he gestured at the SUV that had just pulled into the parking lot. "Kuwabara's here. I'll see you guys later."

"Goodbye, Yusuke. Love you," Keiko called after him.

"Love you too, babe." The door fell shut behind him, the bell tinkling softly.

I immediately stood up, moving toward the counter. "We should start getting ready," I said, slipping behind the counter.

Turning around, I saw Keiko shaking her head. She patted the seat where I had just been. "Come take a seat, Shy. I want to talk to you." Continuing before I could interrupt, she added, "There's plenty of time before we open. Come on."

Unable to thing of a way to dissuade her, I returned to my chair and settled in for a conversation I wasn't going to enjoy. It seemed Keiko was done giving me time. Maybe she had realized that I wasn't going to bring Hiei up on my own or maybe she just wanted to know what was going on, but regardless of her reasons I knew what was coming.

"Why did Hiei break up with you?"

Or maybe I didn't.

I'd thought that my friends knew I had been the one to break up with Hiei, not the other way around, but apparently I was wrong. For a few long seconds I stared at Keiko, trying to understand why Hiei hadn't told anyone the truth. Surely, he had told Kurama.

"Didn't Hiei tell you guys what happened?"

Keiko shook her head, frowning at me. "Hiei hasn't told anyone anything, Shy. He went to the Makai the day after the wedding without a word to any of us. Yusuke and Kuwabara were starting to think that something had happened to him when he finally contacted us, saying that he was in Alaric."

I hadn't seen Hiei since the night of the wedding; nevertheless I had assumed that he was still in the Ningenkai. But now that I thought about it, it made sense that he wouldn't be here anymore. His home was in the Makai and he had told me that he was on indefinite leave in order to pursue me. I'd broken things off between us and he no longer had a reason to stay in the Ningenkai.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Keiko's voice was quiet and she was clearly aware that she was asking me about a sensitive topic, but I could hear the slight annoyance in her tone as well. Glancing up and meeting her gaze, I saw that her irritation was less veiled in her eyes. "Well?"

"Hiei didn't break up with me," I said softly, looking down at my hands. Entwining my fingers together, I waited for her response.

It took her so long to do make one that I glanced up once more. She was staring at me, her eyes wide and mouth agape. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Hiei didn't break up with me. I broke up with him."

"Would you mind explaining that to me?" she asked curtly. "I thought you said you loved him."

It was a simple statement, but the truth in it hit me hard. My breath left me in a rush and I let out a hiccupping sob. Pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes, I took a deep, rattling breath. "Yeah, Keiko, I did. I still do. That's why I had to do it. I can't let him mate me, not considering what it will do to him."

"And what's that, Shy? Make him happy?"

"No!" My voice was sharper than I meant it to be, but I couldn't help it. Dropping my hands, I met her gaze fiercely. "No, that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"It would kill him, Keiko. He would mate me and I'd end up killing him."

Whatever she had planned on saying to me didn't come. Instead she ended up staring at me again, dumbstruck by my words. Her mouth opened and closed twice before she managed to say anything. "I don't understand. How would you kill him?"

Had she truly never thought of it? Hadn't it occurred to her that being Yusuke's mate would shorten his lifespan or had she forgotten about that part of a mating? "Keiko, a demon's life is tied to their mate's. If their mate dies, so does the demon."

She finally looked away from me, her gaze flicking to where Yusuke had been sitting just a few minutes ago. "I hadn't ever made that connection. I knew that demon's die with their mate, but I never thought that one of us could kill them. I always just related it to fighting. I'd thought that if I became Yusuke's mate and he died in battle so would I."

Keiko appeared as though she was going to continue talking, but I interrupted her. "No, you wouldn't."

Her eyes darted back to mine. "What?"

"Kurama explained it to me, the way a mating works. Only demons are affected. If Yusuke died, you would not." I watched as she reached up and covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her shocked expression. When it didn't seem like she was going to say anything else, I stood up. "Why don't we get to work?"

She followed me soundlessly, joining me behind the counter. It seemed like ages before she said anything. "I understand why you did it," she murmured softly. "I'm still not sure I think that you should have just ended things, but I get why you did."

"I had to, Keiko. End things, I mean." Shoving a strand of hair behind my ear, I said, "Hiei isn't like Yusuke. He wouldn't be okay with just being my boyfriend. He wants a mate. Plus, he was ready to make me his mate that night. Everything happened so fast and I didn't have a chance to truly explain anything."

Keiko's eyes widened. "He was going to mark you? I hadn't realized you guys were so serious."

"Hiei always planned to make me his mate, right from the very beginning. But I'll admit that I wasn't aware he was going to attempt to do so this soon." I sighed and leaned against the counter. "I wish I'd had more time. I only learned the truth at the wedding and I wanted to think about it, but I couldn't with Hiei getting ready to do the deed."

Smiling faintly at my word choice, Keiko handed me a damp cloth. "Go wipe down the tables, okay? Make sure there's nothing on them. We can talk more about this later."

* * *

Picking up a can of disinfectant, I sprayed down one of the tables and set to work wiping it down. Keiko flipped the sign on the door to indicate that we were closed and moved behind the counter, getting ready to wash the dishes that were stacked beside the sink.

The day had been a busy one and I was relieved that we were finally done for the night. Yusuke still wasn't back, which I hoped meant that he and the others had had a successful day.

Yawning loudly, I made my way to the next table, satisfied that I had thoroughly cleaned the one I had been working on. The bell over the door tinkled and I glanced up, raising an eyebrow when I saw the woman who had entered.

"Sorry, we're closed," Keiko said without looking up from the dishes.

"I assure you, I could care less about whether or not this dump is open. You see, I'm not interested in eating the slop you would attempt to serve me."

The woman stepped forward and the light reflected off her eyes. My breath caught in my throat and I tightened my grip on the can of disinfectant. "Keiko," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "Get the phone. Call Yusuke."

Keiko didn't argue. She dropped the plate she had been washing into the sink and darted for the phone, ignoring the sound of the dish shattering. The woman at the door chuckled and shook her head. "Now that's rather silly."

I didn't understand what she meant, but as Keiko's hand closed over the phone it started to make sense. The woman made a quick gesture with her own hand and the phone bucked in Keiko's grip. A second gesture and the phone jerked from Keiko's hand. It flew across the room and the woman caught it easily.

"Who are you?" Keiko asked, staring at her in horrified surprise.

But I didn't need the woman to identify herself. This was Disma. I would have be my life on it. I'd suspected it as soon as I saw her eyes. Their color was the same molten gold as Mecca's, their catlike shape eerily inhuman. The use of her powers had made me sure I was right. Botan had told us that Disma could control matter and space and it only made sense that that would grant her telekinetic abilities.

Disma smiled at Keiko and started to walk toward her. It was apparent that she didn't plan on answering Keiko's question.

I knew that she was going to hurt Keiko, probably try to kidnap her, so I did the only thing I could think of. Darting in front of the raion, I raised the can of disinfectant and sprayed her in the eyes.

Yowling like the cat she was, Disma stumbled back, scrabbling at her eyes. I bolted behind the counter and grabbed Keiko's wrist, pulling her up the stairs. Together we rushed into the apartment and slammed the door shut. Locking the door, I looked around the room and rushed to grab a chair from the kitchen, using it to barricade the door more firmly.

"There's a phone up here, right?" I asked.

Keiko nodded and started toward the kitchen. She hadn't made it three steps when a portal flickered to life in the living room.

I cursed loudly as Disma stepped through the portal and glanced around the apartment, spotting us instantly. Her eyes were bloodshot, but it appeared that my spur of the moment attack had already worn off. She stalked toward us, her lips curling back threateningly to reveal a set of very sharp teeth.

"That was incredibly foolish," she snarled. "You're the one that's been whoring yourself out to Lord Hiei, yes? It's a shame he would lower himself to your level. A filthy human like you." She shook her head despairingly and turned her gaze to Keiko. "I wish I wasn't on orders to bring you back. You'd be terribly fun to play with."

Thinking quickly, I kicked the chair away from the door and unlocked it. "Go," I barked at Keiko, remembering the last time I had told her to leave me alone with a raion. I'd nearly died and I prayed that it wouldn't come to that. Hiei wasn't here to save me this time around. Shoving Keiko down the stairs, I faced Disma, the can of disinfectant still in my hand.

"Get the phone," I called after Keiko, raising my can so that I could defend myself.

"Not again," Disma growled, reaching out and batting the can out of hand with ease. Startled, I staggered back and attempted to follow Keiko down the stairs. "Oh, no you don't." The female raion grabbed my wrist and tugged, pulling me away from the stairs.

I struggled, digging my heels into the floor and leaning away from Disma. I could hear Keiko on the phone downstairs. "Yusuke! Yusuke, Disma is here. She's –"

I didn't hear the rest of what Keiko said because Disma had caught my attention. A confident smirk had spread across her face and her grip on my wrist shifted. Managing to take a step backward, I gave another tug with my wrist and, to my surprise, Disma let go. For a split second I was thrilled, thinking that I had broken free, and then I went tumbling down the stairs.

A scream tore itself from my lips as I fell, pain flaring through my body as I hit the stairs and walls. Coming to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, I heard Keiko yell something and laughter sounded at the top of the stairs. Disma was descending slowly and I rolled over. Pushing myself up, I made to stand and run, but my leg gave out.

Pain radiated from my right ankle and I whimpered as I collapsed to the floor.

* * *

I groaned, my eyes fluttering open.

"Shy?" I recognized the voice as Keiko's and I assumed that the hand on my shoulder shaking me lightly belonged to her as well. She appeared in my line of sight, leaning over me. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"What makes you think I'm okay?" I asked, moaning as I pushed myself into a sitting position. Glancing around, I saw that we were in a dank, cell-like room, but I couldn't see a door. "Where are we?"

"I have no idea. After you passed out, Disma opened a portal and forced me through it. I tried to fight her, I really did, but she was just too strong." Keiko sighed, shoving a hand through her hair. "What you did was brave, Shy. Spraying her like that."

She shook her head and sat back, giving me some space.

I took a second to try and take stock of my injuries. Everything ached, my back, my arms, my head, but more than anything else my ankle. Bracing myself for the worst, I glanced down at my ankle and shuddered. It was bent at an awkward angle, one that clearly proved it was broken.

Keiko followed my line of sight and shifted uncomfortably. "Shy," she murmured sympathetically.

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

"Before you fell down the stairs, I was able to get Yusuke on the phone and he was bringing the other guys to come get us. Obviously Disma took us before the guys got there, but at least they know what happened to us."

I jerked my gaze away from my ankle, trying to ignore the pain. "I would assume that Disma took us to Epsilon, right? So Mukuro should know where we are. It shouldn't be long before the guys get here. They'll save us before you know it."

"You think so?"

Keiko's question was tinged with desperation and I forced myself to sound truthful when I answered. "Yeah, Keiko. Of course." That was a lie, an epic lie. But I knew that if I freaked out, Keiko would too and that was the last thing we needed.

Suddenly a portal crackled to life in the far corner of the cell and Disma stepped out. She smiled at us, baring her fangs. Her appearance had solved my question about the door. There was no need for one if Disma could just open a portal whenever it was needed.

"What do you want?" I asked, my hands curling into fists.

"I'm simply here for a visit. There's no need to get so defensive." Her eyes glittered cruelly and I swallowed hard. "I must admit, I was rather disappointed by the lack of protection provided by the hanyou and his friends. I had been hoping for a challenge. It was rather silly to leave you so defenseless." She shook her head and turned her attention to the still open portal.

Straightening her back and holding her head high, Disma gestured to the portal. "And now for the real reason I'm here. I'd like to introduce Lord Epsilon."

Goosebumps rippled along my flesh and I had difficulty breathing. Keiko gasped beside me and her hand found mine on the floor.

The hebi stepped through the portal slowly, his dress shoes clacking softly on the stone floor. Epsilon wore a simple, gray suit, though I would have bet that it was expensive. He held a glass of red wine in his hand and he gestured with it for Disma to leave the room. She stepped through the portal and it closed with a soft snap.

He turned his attention to us and I got my first good look at his face. His nose was nothing more than the two slits of his nostrils. As for his eyes, the irises were so colorless that I could barely discern them from the whites of his eyes. The pale alabaster of his skin caught the faint light in the cell and glittered faintly. Curling lazily about his feet was a thick tail that tapered to a thin point.

Raising his glass to us in a toast, he said, "Evening, ladies."

* * *

AN: This chapter was fun to write. I've discovered that I enjoy writing bad guys, it's fun. I'm pumped for the next chapter, which will feature a lot of Epsilon. I love him. He's one of my favorite characters, but he really hasn't gotten a lot of face time.

I'd like to point out that a reviewer told me I had made a mistake last chapter and I went back and fixed it. I don't think it was too large of a deal, but I still found it worth fixing. Shy had said that Hiei had never 'broken the clothing barrier before' but he had in earlier chapter. As I said, I've since fixed the issue.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I think I got thirty-five reviews, which is insanely exciting! You guys rock so much. So tell me what you thought of this chapter, 'kay?


	30. Free

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"What do you want?" I growled, my grip on Keiko's hand tightening.

He ignored my question, glancing around the small cell and letting out a soft sigh. "It's a shame there are no seats in here. I would have loved to sit, but I'm afraid this suit simply isn't appropriate for sitting on the ground. I'm sure you understand." He smiled, dusting off his suit with his free hand. "Next time I visit I'll be sure to request a chair brought in."

"I asked you a question," I stated, annoyed that he had so blatantly ignored me. "What do you want?"

"I'm being a good host, visiting my guests," he answered, unfazed by my hostility. "Undoubtedly you have questions you'd like answers to. Feel free to ask me anything." He took a small sip of wine and the liquid stained his pale lips red until his tongue flicked out to lick them clean.

Neither of us spoke and I could clearly hear Keiko's shallow breathing. She was nervous, frightened by this man, and I desperately hoped she couldn't tell how similarly I felt.

When he realized we didn't plan to respond, Epsilon shook his head and made a disapproving noise. "I offer you a chance to ask me any questions you may have and you don't take advantage. What a waste. Well, why don't I get us started? I'm sure you're wondering how it is we were able to capture you despite how safe the half-breed obviously believed you to be."

I'd been asking myself that ever since I'd woken up in this cell, but I made no move to show Epsilon that or to even act interested. It didn't seem to matter though because the hebi continued talking without waiting for us to say anything.

"It was rather silly of the half-breed to think that he had the upper hand on me, but then the human blood flowing through his veins has no doubt dampened his intelligence. I've been aware of Mukuro's spies since the day of their arrival. Even as we speak, the raions are taking care of them, ending their pathetic lives.

"Now as for your capture, that was incredibly simple. Mukuro's spies were only keeping track of Mecca and myself, which needless to say failed to protect you. Disma's portals provide us with an easy way of nearly undetectable travel, a fact that I decided to take full advantage of. I personally feel that Disma could have done a better job, but I can't expect much from hired help, can I?" He eyes darted to my broken ankle and he shook his head sadly. "The injury will regrettably lower your sale value."

He moved his hand in a slow circle, swirling the wine in his glass. "And that brings us to another question I'm sure you have. Just what exactly is it I'm planning to do with you? The answer is different for each of you so I'll start with you," he said, gesturing to me.

"You're of no value to me; however Mecca has expressed interest in you. You see, you'd make him a tidy profit on the slave market. Granted you would have made more had Lord Hiei still been courting you, nevertheless profit is profit and Mecca insists on being able to sell you. Personally, I don't see the value in human slaves. You've always struck me as a somewhat dull, troublesome species. Others, of course, feel differently and you are an interesting case. Many demons would love to discover just what about you kept Hiei interested for so long."

Taking a sip of wine, he added, "Admittedly, this will be off topic, but I simply must express my pleasure with the end of your courtship. It was quite bothersome to see a man as strong and proud as Lord Hiei lowering himself to the courtship of a human. Disgusting might be a better word than bothersome…" He trailed off, apparently lost in his own thoughts and I took the opportunity to glance at Keiko.

Her lips were pressed together so tightly that they had turned white and she looked on the verge of tears.

Epsilon cleared his throat and my gaze snapped back to him. "But I digress so we'll return to the question at hand. You, Miss Yukimura, are valuable to me." I was vaguely surprised that he had called her by name and from the way she started I gathered that she was as well.

His voice nearly a purr, Epsilon continued, "You are exactly the leverage I need to end this nonsense with the half-breed. It is –"

"Stop calling him that!" Keiko cried, her hand clenching tightly around my own.

Epsilon's good humor disappeared in an instant. "You would be wise not to interrupt me again," he warned so coldly that goosebumps rose on my arms. And then, a cruel smile on his lips, he asked, "What would you prefer I call him? Scum? Dirt? An abomination? Because trust me, half-breed is a kind name for such a creature."

Keiko didn't respond. Freeing her hand from mine, she pulled away and backed up so that she was pressed against the wall.

It chilled me to the bone seeing her so afraid. Keiko had always been strong and in control. That Epsilon could frighten her like this in turn scared me. Keiko had more experience with this world, with demons. She would know how much danger we were in and, judging by her fear, we were in way over our heads.

Noting that he had subdued Keiko, Epsilon took a sip of wine and continued. "In order to properly explain what I plan to do with you, I must first clarify what my motivation for going to all this trouble is. Considering how closely involved you both are with the half-breed, I feel safe assuming that you have a relative understanding of Makai politics and are both aware that the half-breed is the lord of Tourin. And it is there that the problem lies.

"I do not understand when we, meaning self-respecting demons like myself, began accepting half-breeds and humans as our equals. I had thought that demons such as Lord Mukuro and Lord Yomi would have the backbone to refuse the half-breed a place among us. Never in my wildest nightmares had I imaged them allowing him the title of lord."

Epsilon paused to take a sip of wine and opened his mouth to continue, but I interrupted, speaking without thinking. "Maybe it's because Mukuro and Yomi aren't self-righteous, prejudiced assholes."

Until that moment I had forgotten about his tail. It lashed once against the ground before snaking out and wrapping around my ankle, squeezing painfully. I screamed and tried to scramble backward, my fingers scrabbling uselessly against the cold, stone floor. Epsilon watched me coldly, his eyes like ice.

When he spoke, his voice sounded distant, a faint whisper through the fog of pain. "I apologize, Miss Yukimura, but it appears your friend wasn't listening when I said I don't like interruptions."

His tail let go suddenly, curling around his legs once more, and I lay still. My breath coming in ragged pants, I stared at the ceiling, trying to fight off tears.

"Good guests do not insult their hosts," he said softly.

Keiko moved to my side, her hand finding mine. I gave hers a small squeeze and forced a smile onto my face, pushing myself into a sitting position.

"I'm afraid I lost my train of thought," Epsilon murmured, his hostility gone as though it had never existed. "Where were we? Ah, right, my motivations. As I was saying, it is utterly unbelievable that the half-breed was accepted as a demon lord. Quite frankly, I've decided that enough is enough. No demon should be forced to obey a half-breed, to act as though they are inferior to an abomination. It is time for a true demon to take back the title that half-breed stole for himself; it is time that a demon rules Tourin.

"And that is where you come in, Miss Yukimura." He paused, a pleased smile on his face, and took a sip of wine. "I plan to offer the half-breed a trade. You for his title. It shouldn't be a difficult decision, not if he cares about you as much as he claims. If he chooses his title, I'm afraid it will mean your life, which isn't too large a loss."

Epsilon chuckled softly, shaking his head at some private joke. "This is a pleasant conversation now that you've both learned your manners. I'm enjoying it immensely. What other questions might either of you have?"

We didn't speak up and he seemed content to answer himself. "You're wondering about my abilities, I'm sure. How much have they confused the half-breed?" he asked, his eyes alight with pleasure. "They aren't very complicated. I use a simple technique, though few still remember it. I won't explain it to you for I doubt you would understand, but I will tell you what it enables me to do.

"I am able to void the attacks of my opponent, quite literally making them nonexistent. It is a unique ability, almost entirely defensive, which is of course the reason I hired the raions. Mecca and his pride provide me with a powerful, loyal group of followers. On occasion, I am capable of reversing my opponent's attack and turning it against them, as I did against the half-breed."

He stopped talking and raised his glass to his lips, finishing off the last of his wine. "Honestly, I'm disappointed that you haven't asked me any of your own questions. Please do think on it for I will be returning sometime in the next few days and would simply love to converse with you both once more."

Raising his voice, he called, "Disma, if you would be so kind as to open a portal, it would be much appreciated. I have some business to attend to and our guests will be perfectly capable of entertaining themselves for the next few hours."

A portal flared to life and Epsilon stepped through it. The portal disappeared with a snap, leaving us alone in the cell.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Keiko's eyes widened. "I should be asking you that. How's your ankle?"

"Fan-freaking-tastic." Keiko appeared wounded by my sarcasm and I apologized softly.

She nodded and glanced around the cell. "So now what?"

"Why don't you see if you can sleep? I'll wake you in a while and then I'll sleep while you stay up." I moved backwards, joining Keiko against the wall. I stretched my legs out straight in front of me, ignoring the protesting pain that shot up from my ankle.

"Why can't we both sleep?" Keiko asked, lying down and staring up at the ceiling.

"I'd feel better if at least one of us was aware of what was going on. The last thing we need is to get separated without knowing it. I don't know about you, but I'd hate to wake up and find you mysteriously gone."

She didn't argue and when I glanced over her eyes were closed. It wasn't long before her breathing evened out and she was asleep. I had a feeling that Epsilon's visit had tired her out, her fear having eaten at her energy reserves. Plus, it was probably late at night since Disma had kidnapped us just after we had closed the diner. It couldn't possibly be the morning after our capture, could it? Shoving away that unpleasant thought, I forced myself to try and figure out a way to get us out of this mess.

When Keiko and I switched places a few hours later, I hadn't made even the faintest bit of progress.

* * *

"Shy," Keiko hissed, shaking me lightly. "Shy, wake up."

"I'm up, I'm up," I groaned, pushing myself up into a sitting position. "What's wrong?"

"Listen," she said, putting a finger to her lips. I fell silent, straining to hear something other than our quiet breathing. Slowly, I began to pick up on distant sounds: angry yelling, painful screaming, and then the distinct sound of metal on metal.

"What do you think is going on?" I asked.

"I'm going to go with fighting," Keiko whispered, an excited grin spreading across her features.

"The guys?"

"Hopefully."

We both fell silent and I glanced around our cell, aiming to figure out how we could bring attention to ourselves. Remembering the way Epsilon had called to Disma, I decided that there must be holes somewhere higher up the walls that allowed air and noise into and out of the cell.

The noises outside grew louder and louder before suddenly falling silent. I was about to panic that we wouldn't be found when a voice sounded outside, the noise carrying clearly to my ears. "I can smell human, but I am unable to sense where they are."

Recognizing the voice immediately, I took a deep breath and yelled, "Yomi, we're in a cell that lacks both doors and windows. Disma's portals seem to be the only way to get in."

There was silence for a long second and I worried that they hadn't heard me. It was as I was opening my mouth to yell again that the wall began to move, the stones shifting to form a doorway. A demon stood in the opening, his hands outstretched before him, and he inclined his head in greeting when he saw us.

Yomi stood behind him, his sightless eyes staring into the cell. "Well, get up then. My men will take you out of here. I wish to return to the main battle."

Keiko stood and walked toward the door, but stopped and glanced back at me where I still sat on the floor. "Shy's ankle is broken. She won't be able to walk."

"Very well. Tau, carry the girl." The demon in the opening stepped forward, coming to my side and bending down.

"I will need to pick you up, miss," he warned. I nodded and he slipped a hand behind my back and another beneath my legs. Lifting me with ease, he joined Yomi, Keiko, and a dozen other demons in the hallway. It seemed that we were in some kind of fortress or castle made entirely of stone.

Yomi spoke to Keiko as our group began to make its way down the hallway. "I will remain with you until we reach the fighting, at which time we will part ways and my men will escort you outside and act as your guards while we finish off Epsilon and his followers."

"We?" Keiko asked.

"Yes. Fighters from each of the three territories are present as well as your human friend, Kazuma Kuwabara. It is good that Yusuke insisted on bringing so many men; Epsilon has more supporters than we initially expected. Beyond the raions, I would estimate that he has a hundred other men. Unfortunately, I drew the short straw and was assigned the task of locating the two of you. With that done, I am now free to return to the battle."

The noise grew louder as we walked and I unintentionally shrank closer to Tau. I'd been brave enough to put up a struggle against Disma because of the adrenaline coursing through my veins, but that bravery was now lacking and I wanted nothing to do with the fighting.

"Don't worry, miss," Tau said softly. "We'll be past the battle soon."

"Do we need to pass directly through it?"

"Yes, but we will run and, with any luck, nothing will go wrong." I refrained from telling him that I wasn't feeling particularly lucky.

We turned a corner in the hallway and the end came into view. The hallway opened into a large room, probably the dining hall or potentially even a throne room. The sound of the fighting was nearly deafening and even as I watched a ball of energy hurtled past the opening.

"Brace yourself, miss," Tau murmured.

And then he was running, bursting from the hallway and following the wall toward a shattered door, which I assumed our rescuers had broken down. The rest of Yomi's men followed, Keiko running in their midst.

We were nearly to the door when Tau stumbled. I thought for a second that he had merely tripped and would regain his balance, but his grip on me loosened and he went sprawling to the floor, trapping me underneath him. I struggled and managed to push him off of me, shimming backward toward the wall.

I stared at him, eyes wide. There was a ragged wound on his back, one that I realized must have been caused by an energy attack. I had little doubt that he was dead and I felt as though I was about to be sick as I watched the blood beginning to pool around his body.

Fighting off the urge to throw up, I glanced around at the raging battle, looking for each of my friends.

Yusuke wasn't hard to spot; my eyes were pulled to him as if by gravity. He was locked in battle with Epsilon and I hoped that he had realized what the hebi's abilities were. Epsilon himself was still dressed in his gray suit and I silently wished that Yusuke would destroy the stupid thing.

I found Kurama next, his red hair making him stand out. Yomi had joined him and the two fought side by side, working as a team to take down the demons around them.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I caught sight of Hiei. He was darting around Disma, using his impressive speed to batter at the raion's defenses. His attention was so focused on Disma that he didn't notice Mecca creeping up on him from behind.

"Hiei, watch out!" I yelled, inadvertently drawing attention to my own defenseless position on the floor. My warning was successful and Hiei evaded Mecca, but I found myself the subject of far too many gazes, not all of them friendly. "Oh shit," I groaned.

I allowed myself to consider the prospect of running like hell, but gave up the notion immediately, knowing that my ankle would make running impossible. I was saved from thinking up my own rescue plan by the one friend I hadn't yet spotted.

Kuwabara was running toward me, his spirit sword glowing in his hand. "Shy, what are you doing here?" he asked when he reached me. He turned his back to me, raising his sword so that he could fend off any would be attackers.

Peeking at Tau's body, I answered, "My rescuer was killed."

Kuwabara glanced at the demon and then at me. "How did that happen?"

"I'm not sure."

"Can you stand? I need to get you out of here." His gaze returned to the fighting, scanning for any threat.

"No, I can't. My right ankle is broken. I can't put any weight on it." Frowning, I added, "I tried to when Disma captured us and I blacked out."

"Damn," Kuwabara muttered. "Then you'll have to stay here until this is over. It shouldn't be too long; we've got these guys on the ropes." Looking out across the room, I didn't understand what made Kuwabara think that we were winning. Epsilon's forces seemed to be doing just fine.

I let my gaze return to Hiei, watching as he cut down Disma. I wondered briefly if she was dead and decided she must be since she didn't stand up. Hiei engaged Mecca, taking over for Mukuro, who moved to join Yusuke against Epsilon.

The fighting continued around us and I began to see that Kuwabara was indeed right. As more and more of Epsilon's men were cut down, our fighters were able to double and even triple up on the enemy. Kurama and Yomi joined the fight against Epsilon and it wasn't long before the hebi was beginning to get hit simply because he was facing too many fighters to nullify all of their attacks.

Kuwabara joined me against the wall, sinking into a sitting position, his spirit sword resting on top of his knees. "How'd you break your ankle?" he asked, watching the fight.

"I fell down a flight of stairs."

He glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "For fun?"

"No, jerk," I snapped, whacking his arm hard. "Disma was holding my wrist and she let go and, um, I kind of just went down. It hurt like hell and I'm probably covered in bruises. Everything aches."

"Sounds graceful."

"I'm sure it was," I retorted, rolling my eyes at him.

"Spirit gun!"

My gaze jerked back to the fight in time to see the large ball of blue energy leave Yusuke's finger. It rocketed toward the far wall, taking Epsilon with it. The wall erupted when the attack collided with it and a wave of dust and debris billowed out across the room. Squeezing my eyes shut and coughing, I pulled my shirt up over my mouth and nose in an attempt to filter the air. Kuwabara leapt to his feet, yelling excitedly.

When the dust cleared, it was obvious that Epsilon wasn't getting back up. I scanned the room for Hiei and found him standing over Mecca's body, wiping the blood off his katana.

He looked up, his gaze meeting mine across the room, and my breath caught in my throat.

* * *

AN: So I wrote this entire chapter on the car ride to and from Cornell University, which definitely helped pass what would have been a horribly boring ride (six hours each way). Writing Epsilon was as fun as, if not more fun, than I had thought it would be. On the other hand, I felt bad killing off Tau, despite the fact that he is a completely inconsequential character.

So what did you think of the fight? I'm aware that it wasn't very in-depth, but since Shy wasn't directly a part of it, I didn't want to make it extremely long. Plus, she wouldn't actually understand much of what was going on.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Tell me what you thought of this one.


	31. Everything But Mine

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

I stared at the ceiling, counting the panels in an attempt to distract myself.

The dull roar of noise coming from the living room was annoying, but I was able to tune it out with ease. The conversation being held in the kitchen was an entirely different story.

Shifting uncomfortably on the table I was sprawled across, I pressed my hands to my eyes. I regretted the move immediately. The images that seemed to be seared against the back of my eyelids appeared whenever I closed my eyes, presenting a threat to the contents of my stomach.

Groaning, I let my hands drop back to my sides, splaying them against the wooden tabletop. A glance at the room's occupants revealed that I still had a long wait ahead of me.

I'd insisted that Yukina heal those who had participated in the fight before attending to me, claiming that my ankle wasn't bothering me that much. And at the time, it hadn't been. I hadn't anticipated my adrenaline and nerves wearing off and leaving me with a painful, throbbing ankle. Yet that was exactly what had happened.

When I had been watching my friends fight, I hadn't realized the number of injuries they had acquired during the battle. Looking at them now, it was blatantly apparent that they had indeed gotten hurt.

Yukina had started healing Yusuke first and was only just finishing with him. He tugged his shirt over his head and leaned back against the countertop, in the process of vividly retelling his fight with Epsilon. Honestly, I couldn't understand why he was bothering to do so. With the exception of Yukina, everyone in the room had witnessed the fight and didn't need to hear all the gory details.

The ice apparition turned her attention to Kurama, who was nursing a stomach wound, and I risked a peek at Hiei. He stood, his shirt in his hands, waiting patiently for Yukina to heal the gash on his chest.

I tore my gaze away from the group, returning my frustrated stare to the ceiling panels and resuming my count. I wanted to tell Yusuke to shut up, to inform him that no one wanted to hear his stupid story, but I bit my tongue. Just because hearing about the fight made me want to toss my cookies, didn't mean it had the same effect on the others.

Plus, yelling at Yusuke wouldn't end my queasiness. There was still the problem presented by my inability to close my eyes. Every time I did, every time I let my lids fall shut, I saw Tau lying lifeless in a pool of his own blood, lying dead because he had tried to save me.

Which was, of course, the conclusion I'd come to.

If Tau hadn't been carrying me, he would have been able to defend himself. He would have at least had a chance at living. But with me in his arms he'd had no such chance.

And then there was the other haunting idea that had occurred to me. What if, as Yomi had put it, my friends had drawn the short straw and been responsible for saving us? What if one of them had been carrying me? What if Hiei had been carrying me?

I resisted the urge to groan again and dug my nails into my palms.

Hearing the distinct sound of laughter coming from the living room, I wondered what was going on in there. All of the demons who had been a part of our rescue and the subsequent fight had returned with us to Genkai's shrine, apparently having deemed it the perfect place to celebrate Epsilon's defeat. Needless to say, Genkai hadn't been thrilled, but had been forced into the role of reluctant hostess nonetheless and had roped Keiko into helping her prepare food and drinks for the demons.

I was secretly thankful that Genkai had insisted on Keiko's assistance. Had Keiko been left to her own devices, I was afraid she would have had a panic attack. Having a job to do was probably working wonders for her nerves.

Personally, I wouldn't have minded joining them. It certainly would have given me a task to occupy my troubled thoughts. Too bad I couldn't walk.

Yukina had finished with Kurama and was beginning to heal Kuwabara's numerous wounds. How I'd missed the literally dozens of injuries on my friend was beyond me. He was talking softly, assuring Yukina that he was alright. Seeing them together like that, I was suddenly struck by the fact that they were mates.

The idea brought tears to my eyes and I blinked rapidly, hoping to prevent myself from crying while at the same time praying not to see Tau each time my eyes fluttered closed.

The noise from the living room increased abruptly. Glancing at the door, I saw that Keiko had just entered the room looking flustered, but altogether better than she had when we'd arrived at the shrine. She spotted me lying on the table and smiled, walking toward me.

"Hey," Keiko murmured, pulling out a seat and sitting down. "How are you?"

"Bored," I answered.

"Nice spot you've got here."

"You think? I don't know, it's kind of too hard for my liking," I joked, tapping the table with my hand. Redirecting my gaze to the ceiling, I asked, "What's it like out there? Is it as crazy as it sounds?"

"Crazier."

"Oh, how so?"

"Genkai had the not-so-brilliant idea to bring out alcohol. And, just so you know, drunk demons aren't fun demons." Keiko sighed, shaking her head tiredly. Her gaze flicked to the guys and she raised an eyebrow. "Has he said anything to you?" she whispered, turning back to me.

I didn't need to ask who she was talking about. "No, not a word." But he had been staring at me. It wasn't just the weird, unreadable look he had sent me after the fight. I'd felt his eyes on me sporadically ever since we'd returned to the shrine.

"You should talk to him," Keiko said, taking one of my hands and entwining our fingers.

"Why? Keiko, he can't possibly want anything to do with me. Why should I force him to talk to me if he doesn't want to?"

"Don't you want to explain? He'd understand. Maybe he wouldn't insist on mating you. Did that ever occur to you, Shy?" I took my time responding and Keiko took my silence as a sign that I wasn't going to answer. "If you care about him as much as you say, how can you possible stand to let him go? You said you loved him," Keiko breathed, her voice so quiet I could barely hear it.

"I still do. But I can't do it, I can't kill him."

"Maybe you should be a little less selfless," Keiko muttered.

I snorted. Keiko was not only bringing up a subject that I didn't want to talk about, but she was being a hypocrite while she was at it. "That's rich, Keiko. What do you call what you're doing with Yusuke, huh?" Rolling my eyes, I added, "Those in glass houses."

Keiko let out a soft sigh. "Alright, I get it. We'll talk about something else." The tone of her voice made me feel guilty and I opened my mouth to apologize, but she spoke before I had the chance to. "I don't think I ever said thank you."

Confused, I pushed myself up slightly, resting my weight on my forearms, and eyed her quizzically. "What for?"

"For doing what you did, being brave like you were." She looked down, using the hand that wasn't holding mine to pick at the hem of her shirt. "You attacked Disma with a can of disinfectant, Shy. Which, I'll admit, may not have been very well thought out, but it was brave and I wouldn't have had the guts to do it."

"I thought she was going to kill you," I interrupted. "I panicked."

Keiko shrugged off my words and continued, "And the way you acted while we were in that cell. You were the only thing that kept me from freaking out. You seemed so calm, so in control." She took a deep breath and finally met my gaze. "And thanks for not hating me, even though I put you through all of this."

Her words left me shocked and I shook my head unthinkingly. How could she possibly think I would hate her? No matter what the reason?

"Keiko, that's just stupid. I chose to be a part of this world. I could have backed out as soon as you told me the truth, but I didn't. That wasn't because I wanted adventure or excitement. You're my best friend, Keiko, and if this is part of your life, then I want it to be part of mine."

She smiled softly and gave my hand a quick squeeze. "I'd better go back out there and help Genkai. She isn't going to be thrilled that I left her out there with a bunch of inebriated, celebrating demons."

I let her hand go and watched as she headed for the living room, grabbing a bag of chips as she went. Lying back against the table, I stared up at the ceiling and resumed counting the panels for what felt like the hundredth time.

I had reached twelve when the kitchen fell eerily silent. I'd grown accustomed to the guys' conversation and its disappearance immediately caught my attention. Looking toward them, I saw that Yukina had just finished with Hiei and was making her way toward me.

"How's you ankle feeling?" the ice apparition asked.

"Um, like it's broken?" I hadn't meant for it to come out like a question, but I wasn't entirely sure how to respond. My right ankle was swollen, bent the wrong way. I was pretty sure it spoke for itself.

Yusuke laughed, leaning against the table and peering at my ankle. "Thanks for that startling revelation." He cocked his head to the side and added, "That's quite the break you've got there. Kuwabara says you got it falling down some stairs. Sounds graceful."

"That's what I said!" Kuwabara assumed a spot on the other side of the table, reaching over me to slap Yusuke a high five.

"Yeah, well, idiots think alike," I muttered.

I couldn't help the slight wave of disappointment that Hiei hadn't come to check on me as well, which was stupid since I'd been the one to break up with him, not the other way around. He and Kurama remained on the other side of the kitchen, talking in hushed tones.

"This may hurt," Yukina warned, bringing my attention back to her. "I'll have to align your ankle properly before I begin to heal you."

"Okay," I answered.

I felt her gentle hands on my ankle and foot, sending a wave of pain up my leg. Apologizing when I winced, she moved her hands, getting ready to twist my foot into position. She jerked and –

* * *

When my eyes fluttered open, Yusuke and Kuwabara were leaning over me. "I never realized you were so easy to knock out," Yusuke said, acting as though he had made a great discovery. "I'd break your bones more often if I knew it would shut you up."

"How long was I out?" I asked, fighting back a moan. Pushing myself into a sitting position, I studied my ankle, glad to find that it appeared normal, even if it was a little swollen.

"Ten minutes. Fifteen tops. Enough time for Yukina to heal you and that's about it," Kuwabara answered.

I looked around for the ice apparition and found her at the sink, filling a large bowl with water and ice. "What are you doing?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I mended the break and tried to ease the swelling, but your ankle won't be back to normal for a few days yet. Ice baths will help with the inflammation and pain." She turned from the sink, the bowl held in both hands, and made her way toward me.

Sighing, I slid down from the table, landing on my left foot and then testing my right. Yukina was correct; my ankle wasn't normal, but it could at least support some of my weight. I dropped into a chair at the table and she placed the bowl at my feet. Gritting my teeth, I dipped my right foot into the icy water, bracing myself as it swirled around my calf.

"Twenty minutes," Yukina instructed.

I nodded and directed my gaze at Yusuke. "Go get me a book or magazine."

"Excuse me? I am not your slave," he muttered indignantly. "Why do want a book anyway?"

"If I'm going to sit here with my foot in icy hell, then I want something good to read. Now go." He grumbled, but stood up, heading into the living room.

"Ice baths suck," Kuwabara said sympathetically.

I hadn't needed his word to tell me that much. I'd sprained my ankles enough times during my running career to have grown used to ice baths and the uncomfortable pain they brought with them. It was all about keeping as still as possible so that the blood settled and the foot grew numb. Movement started the blood moving and pain was quick to follow.

Yusuke returned with a magazine and tossed it down in front of me. "Happy, boss?" he demanded.

I shrugged and opened the magazine, scanning the table of contents. He huffed and grabbed Kuwabara's arm, pulling him toward the door and out into the living room. Kurama, Hiei, and Yukina followed a second later, leaving me alone.

I lost myself in the magazine, content reading the stupid, senseless articles about fashion trends and celebrities, though I avoided anything romance related.

When the door opened, letting in a wave of noise, I expected one of my friends coming to check up on me. I had not expected Mukuro of all people. She didn't acknowledge me at first and I felt myself relax, thinking that she was simply retrieving something from the kitchen and would leave in a second, but that turned out not to be the case. After grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, she took a seat across from me at the table.

I shifted awkwardly and lay my magazine down on the tabletop. "Hi," I murmured. Moving my foot, I welcomed the wave of icy pain, hoping that it would clear my head so that I could deal with whatever confrontation loomed ahead.

"Hello, Shyle," she greeted in return, unscrewing the cap of her bottle and taking a sip. "How's your ankle?"

"It's okay. Thanks for asking."

Mukuro nodded and looked up, meeting my gaze directly. She didn't speak, choosing instead to simply stare at me. But her silence spoke volumes and I swallowed hard, concentrating on breathing normally.

The quiet finally got to me. "Look, Mukuro. I know you think I hurt Hiei intentionally or something, but I didn't. I did what I had to do and I honestly don't care if you hate me for it." She remained silent and I continued, "I can't live for sixty, seventy, maybe even eighty years as his mate knowing that, in the end, I'll be the one who kills him. I can't murder him. I won't murder him." My voice broke as I added, "I love him too much."

Mukuro smiled at me, a soft, genuine smile, and nodded. "I thought you would say that." Capping her water, Mukuro stood and made her way toward the door. Pausing with her hand on the knob, she glanced at me over her shoulder. "I would like to give you my blessing. I hope that you choose correctly."

I stared after her as the door swung shut, frowning in confusion at the whole encounter and her parting words.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when I stepped off the train and into the station in the city. Genkai had sent the celebrating demons packing just after sunset, but we hadn't left for the train station until nine o'clock. The ride had been hellishly long and I couldn't wait to get back to my apartment.

Our little group made its way toward the Yukimura diner slowly, too slowly for my liking. Yusuke and Keiko were headed home and Kuwabara and I needed to pick up our cars. Hiei and Kurama had remained at Genkai's, assuring us that they would catch a later train.

Not to say that Hiei talked to me at all. He'd maintained his steadfast silence, though he continued to watch me.

I remained quiet during the walk, listening as Yusuke and Kuwabara bickered. When we reached the diner, I fetched my keys from inside and then climbed into my car. I drove too fast on the way home, but there was no traffic and very few pedestrians so I saw no need to slow down. I practically ran into my apartment building, spooked by the shadowy, deserted parking lot.

Standing in front of the elevator, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had come over me. I punched the call button for the sixth time and the doors finally slid open. When I stepped out on my floor, I was barely resisting the urge to bolt back down to my car and spend the night there. Something felt wrong and it was making me nervous.

I unlocked my door and stepped inside the darkened apartment, very conscious of my weak, right ankle. Moving into the living room, I glanced around and barely bit back a shriek.

Hiei stood at the window, facing out. He turned slowly and found me frozen, my hands pressed to my chest as if to calm my racing heart.

"How did you get in here?" Stupid question. I'd meant to ask what he was doing here. I knew how he had gotten in. He still had the key I'd given him while we were together. He'd never given it back and he had proved that it was still in his possession when he came and took his katana the day after we broke up.

When he spoke his voice was emotionless, cold and unforgiving. "How is your ankle?" It was a question that should have made me feel like he cared, but the way he asked it made it seem like a nuisance he wanted to get out of the way.

"It's been better," I answered truthfully. Forcing myself to relax, I tossed my keys down on the counter that divided the living room from the kitchen.

He took a step toward me, his hands behind his back. "Did Epsilon touch you?"

"What?"

"It's a simple question. Did Epsilon touch you when you were his captive?" His voice was still calm and even, but his eyes flashed dangerously.

"No," I said, unsure of where he was going with this.

"Liar." He moved closer to me once more, scowling. "He grabbed your ankle with his tail," he growled.

"How do you know that?" I asked, swallowing hard. "Did Keiko tell you?" Hiei laughed humorlessly and the truth clicked home. He was reading my mind, poking around in my head. "Stop," I murmured, stepping back as if distance would prevent his telepathy.

The anger left him suddenly, his shoulders slumped and his eyes lost their ferocity. He moved his hands out from behind his back, revealing a tattered book. Placing the book on the counter, he glanced away from me. "Look at it. If you wish to speak with me, tell Kurama and he will arrange for us to meet."

He walked past me quickly, his jaw set tightly. I didn't turn when I heard him open the door. I was too confused, too uncertain about what had just happened, to face him and watch him leave. It was taking everything I had not to burst into tears.

"You need not worry, Shyle," he said softly. Tears pricked at my eyes when he used my name, but I listened silently. "I am aware of the repercussions that come with making you my mate. They do not bother me and I wish that they would not bother you." He was silent for so long that I thought he had left.

At last, he added, "Read the book, Shyle."

The door closed with a soft click and I felt my restraint disappear. Sobbing, I made my way to my bedroom and sank down on the bed for what would prove to be one of the worst nights of my life.

* * *

AN: Fanfiction has been freaking pissing me off. It wasn't letting me respond to reviews and new reviews weren't showing up. Luckily, they fixed whatever was wrong.

So, I feel that it is only right for me to warn you that there are only two or three chapters left, including the epilogue, but not including the chapter I'm going to write that will explain the chapter titles. Speaking of chapter titles, if you want an idea of what's going on in Hiei's head, I'd suggest listening to 'Everything But Mine' by the Backstreet Boys. I think the song fits his thoughts perfectly.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys are incredible. What did you think of this chapter? Leave a review and let me know.


	32. Skyway Avenue

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

I was sitting on my couch, nursing a cup of hot chocolate, when Kuwabara let himself into my apartment. Raising the steaming mug to my lips, I smiled at Kuwabara. Grinning lazily, he flopped down in the armchair and stretched his legs out in front of him. "Weird combo you've got going there," he observed.

I glanced from my mug to my foot, which I had plunged into a bucket of ice water. "It is rather odd, huh?"

"That's what I said." His gaze flicked around the room and he frowned. "This isn't like you, Shy."

"What isn't?" I asked, slouching back into my seat. I knew what he meant, but didn't feel like admitting it. My apartment was a mess: clothes were scattered everywhere, dishes were piled in the sink, magazines and newspapers were scattered across the counter.

"This place is a pigsty. Seriously," he added as an afterthought. Standing up, he began to collect clothes off the ground and carried them to my bedroom. "Is this because of whatever is going on between you and Hiei? And while we're on the topic, mind telling me what went on between the two of you?"

I swallowed hard, fisting my free hand and taking a gulping sip of my hot chocolate. It scorched my throat and I used the pain as an excuse so that I could take my time before answering. "I broke up with him," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" Kuwabara sighed. "You're going to have to talk louder than that, Shy. I couldn't hear a thing you just said."

"I broke up with him," I snapped. There was a loud thud and I twisted around, trying to see what had happened. My movement stirred the water in the bowl, causing pain to flare to life in my foot and ankle. "What did you drop?" I asked, gritting my teeth against the pain.

"A stack of magazines. No bid deal," he answered. He stood up, his head and torso appearing over the counter, and dropped the magazines on the counter. Leaning his forearms against the counter, he peered at me. "Did I hear you right? You were the one to break up with him?"

"Don't make me say it again," I warned. Turning back around, I tapped the fingers of my free hand on my knee and glared at the far wall.

"Why the hell did you do that?"

"I really don't want to talk about this."

"That's too bad, Shy. I'm cleaning your apartment and you are therefore obligated to explain why it is necessary for me to do so." I could hear him moving around behind me, shuffling papers and moving dishes. The noise stopped suddenly and Kuwabara asked, "What's this book?"

I jerked around violently, realizing what he must have found. "It's nothing. Just leave it there." While I hadn't been eager to discuss my breakup with Hiei, I was even less willing to explain that he had been in my apartment and left behind that book.

Shaking his head, Kuwabara frowned at me. "No. Not until you tell me what it is." He picked it up, turning it over and studying it.

"I don't know what it is," I said at last.

"Then why is it here?"

"Hiei dropped it off a few days ago, okay? He told me to read it," I muttered, turning away from him and gripping my mug with both hands.

"So did you?"

"No."

For a second there was silence and I wondered if Kuwabara was actually going to let that go without giving me all kinds of crap. But then he spoke softly, clearly aware that he was pushing it by making me talk about Hiei. "Why wouldn't you read it, Shy? Maybe Hiei is trying to fix whatever's wrong."

I chose not to respond, opting to instead glare at my hot chocolate. Kuwabara began flipping through the pages. I listened to the rustling noise produced and fought tears, telling myself that I wasn't going to cry about Hiei again.

"There's a page marked," Kuwabara said, his voice slightly surprised. I resisted the urge to turn around, forcing myself to remain calm, and leaned forward to put my mug down on the coffee table. Kuwabara finally spoke after what felt like hours. "It describes some kind of ritual."

"So what?" I demanded, suddenly very uneasy. It had been four days since Hiei had left the book at my apartment and I was only just realizing what exactly it could contain. What if Kuwabara was right and the book was Hiei's way of fixing our relationship?

"I think it stops time or something." In the split second before Kuwabara continued, I forgot how to breathe. "I mean, it halts aging."

I jumped up from my seat without thinking, bolting toward Kuwabara and what I hoped would prove to be my future with Hiei. Barely avoiding slipping on the kitchen tiles, I leaned around Kuwabara, trying to read the page. He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "You left wet footprints all the way here," he informed me. I glanced at the floor and saw that my right foot had indeed left wet marks on the floor.

Shrugging carelessly, I pulled the book toward me and studied it. Kuwabara moved away and returned a second later with a dish towel. "Dry your foot, Shy." I pushed the cloth away, ignoring Kuwabara's protest.

Why hadn't Hiei told me that he had found a way to stop me from growing old? Why bother leaving this book when he could have told me in person?

I shoved away the questions, reminding myself that Kuwabara could have jumped to conclusions. It was entirely possible that he had misinterpreted what the page said. I certainly couldn't make sense of it. The phrasing was complicated, but it did seem to describe a ritual or ceremony.

Kuwabara sighed audibly and bent down. Using gentle pressure to guide my foot off the ground, he wrapped the cloth around my ankle and started drying it.

"Thanks," I murmured, tracing a finger along the rows of words. "But I think you were wrong."

"About what?"

"About this page. I don't think it stops aging."

"Oh?"

"I think it just slows aging down," I said, still trying to work out what I was reading.

"Maybe you should talk to Hiei. He could probably tell you what it means, since he was the one that gave the book and everything." Kuwabara let my foot return to the floor and stood up, tossing the towel down on the counter. "Why would he give you this, Shy?"

"I broke up with him because I'll kill him."

"Want to say that again?"

"If I became his mate, I would kill him." I shifted, turning to face Kuwabara, and smiled sadly. "Being mates means sharing a lifespan. You know that, right? But it's different for humans because we aren't affected by a mating. Hiei would die if I died, but I wouldn't die if he did. So when I die of old age, I'd take him with me."

Kuwabara's eyes widened and I could tell he was thinking of Yukina. I glanced at his shoulder, knowing that a mark was hidden beneath the fabric of his shirt. He swallowed hard and his gave darted to the book on my counter. "Do you think that whatever that ritual does will prevent you from dying of old age?"

"I –" I shook my head and started again. "We can only hope."

I reached across the counter, grabbing my phone off its charger. "Who are you calling?" Kuwabara asked. "Hiei doesn't have an apartment, let alone a phone."

"I'm not calling Hiei. I'm calling Kurama," I answered, dialing the redhead's number. Putting the phone to my ear, I started pacing the kitchen. No one picked up and I cursed, leaving Kurama a quick message before hanging up. "Where else could he be?" I asked, staring at the phone as if it might be able to answer my question.

"You could try his parents'."

I grinned at Kuwabara. "You, my friend, are a genius." My smile faded when I realized that I didn't know his parents' number.

Kuwabara rolled his eyes and told me quickly. I punched the numbers in and returned the phone to my ear. This time a woman picked up. "Minamino residence."

"Hi, this is Shyle Iraheta. I'm friends with your oldest son. Is he at your house at the moment?"

"Yes, he is, dear. Give me a second to get him, alright?"

"Of course. Thanks so much."

I gave Kuwabara a thumbs up and resumed pacing the kitchen. I heard muted voices and noise on the other line and then Kurama voice sounded. "Good morning, Shy. What has you so desperate to talk to me that you needed to call my parents' house?" he asked, laughing good-humoredly.

"Are you busy? I can wait if you need me to."

"No, no. It's fine. What's wrong?" Apparently he had picked up on how agitated I was.

"Um, do you know about the book Hiei gave me?"

"Yes. Do need to speak with him? You'll have to give me some time to contact him. He's in the Makai, but I'm sure he will come rushing back in order to see you." Kurama sounded thrilled and I wondered for the first time if he was blaming himself for our breakup. He'd been the one to tell me the truth. If it hadn't been for him answering my questions at the wedding, I might never have broken up with Hiei.

"Look, Kurama. I need you to explain what it means to me, okay? The book, I mean. Is the page that's marked –" I broke off, swallowing hard before continuing. "Is it a way to stop me from getting older?"

He took his time before answering; probably attempting to gather his thoughts and make sure he didn't say something wrong. I realized that I was putting him in the exact same position as last time, asking him to answer a question that would have a major effect on my relationship with Hiei.

"Not exactly," he said finally. "If you were to do as the ritual instructs, you would still age, but you would do so at the same rate as Hiei. The ritual the book describes is a way of binding one person's lifespan to another's in a manner very similar to that of a mating. If Hiei were to die, so would you, but with the added condition that you age at the pace of a demon."

My immediate gut reaction was to break into a victory dance, but I forced myself to remain calm. I needed to make sure I understood exactly what Kurama was implying before I got overly excited.

"Hiei and I will age at the same rate?"

"You would age in time with Hiei."

"And I would die if he did?"

"Your life would be irrevocably tied to his."

I finally allowed myself a smile, shooting Kuwabara a thrilled look. "Could you contact Hiei for me, Kurama? I really need to see him."

"Yeah, of course. I'll call you once I've talked to him, alright?"

"Sure. Thanks, Kurama. For everything."

"I'll talk to you soon, Shy." I thought that he was about to hang up, but he added, "I hope it works out."

The line went dead and I returned the phone to its charger. Bursting into giggles, I threw my arms around Kuwabara's shoulders. He laughed wholeheartedly and picked me up, spinning me around the kitchen.

* * *

The bell over the door tinkled, giving me away. I stood in the doorway of the diner, staring at Hiei. He was seated at one of the tables. His shoulders were hunched forward over the table and he was toying with a fork in an uncharacteristic manner that made me question just what I'd done to him.

Stepping into the restaurant, I walked to the table, resting my hands on the back of the chair across from Hiei. "Do you mind if I take a seat?"

"Hn, go ahead."

I pulled the chair out and sat down, wincing as the chair legs screeched against the floor. "How are you?" I asked. I hadn't realized how nervous I would be when I saw him, but I was suddenly a jittery mess.

He glanced up at me, his lips twisting into a wry smirk. "That was a pointless question." His gaze returned to the fork in his hands and he asked, "You asked me here. Have you come to a decision?"

"Hiei," I began. There was something I had to get out of the way before I told him that I wanted to go through with the ritual. I had to make sure he knew that he didn't have to do this. If he wanted to have a relationship that wasn't so complicated, he could have one. "Hiei, I want you to know that you don't have to bind yourself to me if you don't want to."

His hand clenched around the fork and he looked up, his eyes blazing. "You can stop making excuses."

"What?" I asked disbelievingly. What excuses? I didn't understand what he was talking about.

"If you don't want to be with me, say so. Stop hiding behind these lies."

The fact that he thought I was lying to him raised hundreds of questions I hadn't thought of before. Had I ruined his trust in me by breaking up with him? Would we ever be able to have faith in one another again? Could it be possible that I had ruined any chance we had at being happy together?

"Hiei –"

He shook his head, shoving his chair back and standing up. I dove across the table, reaching out to grab his hand and keep him from leaving. "Let me finish, Hiei." When he remained motionless, I allowed myself to relax ever so slightly. "Please sit."

"Hn." He sank into his seat, but I kept my hold on his wrist. I had no doubt that he could leave if he wanted to, nevertheless I felt better keeping a grip on him, as though holding his wrist gave me some increment of control over the situation.

"I just wanted to make sure you knew that you didn't need to feel obligated to make us work. If you want something easier, I'm okay with that. I get it."

"Don't be stupid, Shyle." When I responded with a frown, he added, "I would not have given you that book out of obligation." I nodded, realizing that I should have known that already, and would have spoken had he not held up his hand to stop me. "Regardless, the ritual described on the page I marked will not in any way change my part in our relationship. It will only affect you."

His words surprised me as that hadn't occurred to me before. "Alright, then I'll do it. If you want me to that is."

He growled unexpectedly and narrowed his eyes. "I don't want you to do it."

I felt as though someone had just sucker punched me. Why had he bothered with all of this then? Why give me hope if he didn't want me to go through with it? I struggled for breath and Hiei cocked his head at me in confusion.

Realization flashed in his eyes and he shook his head. "You misunderstood me. It is not that I don't want you as my mate; it is simply that I do not think binding your lifespan to mine is necessary." He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to the fork that was still clenched in his fist. "Do you understand what it will do to your life? You will have to cut ties with your human friends since they would most definitely notice if you do not grow older. You won't be able to keep your job at the diner for the same reason. And what of your relatives?"

I interrupted before he could continue with his rant. "All of my friends, my truly close friends, know about the Makai and I don't think Keiko and Kuwabara would be overly thrilled if I tried to stop being friends with them over this. And honestly, I don't plan to work at the Yukimura's for the rest of my life. As for my relatives, my parents already know about demons and all that. We aren't really close to the rest of my family so it won't matter if I gradually fade out of their lives."

Smiling, I leaned forward and looked Hiei directly in the eye. "Now who's making excuses?"

He smirked, but it faded after a second. "I simply want to make sure that you know this isn't necessary. I don't require it of you. In fact, I only proposed it because I thought I was going to lose you. Shyle, I will love you no matter what you look like."

My protest that this wasn't about my appearance died on my lips as soon as I understood what he had said. I reminded myself to breathe, overwhelmed by the giddy feeling that was bubbling up inside me.

I was able to see when it dawned on him that he had just admitted to loving me. His eyes widened and then he was standing, moving around the table and pulling me into his arms. He'd never kissed me the way he did in that moment. When he released me, I collapsed against him, unable to support myself.

Pressing my face into his shoulder, I whispered, "I love you, Hiei." He stilled for a fraction of a second before tightening his grip on me, holding me so firmly that I wondered if he would ever let go. "Come home with me," I murmured.

He chuckled and agreed. Together we made our way out to my car, leaving behind a note thanking Yusuke and Keiko for letting us meet in the diner and locking the door. We climbed into the car in companionable silence and I reached across the console to entwine my fingers with Hiei's.

"Did you leave your stuff in the apartment intentionally?" I asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I had hoped that I would be returning there," he answered.

Struck by sudden feeling of shame, I said, "I kind of packed up all your clothes and put them by the door. I guess I wasn't as optimistic as you were."

"Hn, it was different for you. I knew that there were ways to stop you from aging, but you did not. I don't blame you in the slightest for trying to remove me from your life. I am willing to admit that I did not react well to your refusal to become my mate."

I snorted. "No offense or anything, but that may have been the understatement of the year."

"Don't try to be cute," he growled.

"Trust me, I wasn't." I pulled into my parking spot and turned the car off. "Do you really get why I said no?" I asked as we entered the apartment building. "It wasn't because I was afraid of getting old and wrinkly while you stayed young and handsome." I saw him smirk out of the corner of my eye and I made a face. "I didn't say that to inflate your ego."

"I'm aware."

I rolled my eyes and headed for the elevator, but froze when I realized that Hiei hadn't followed me. Turning around, I saw that he was halfway to the stairs. He seemed to sense that I wasn't behind him and glanced around, spotting me at the elevator and staring as though I had twelve heads.

"What are you doing?" he asked, frowning.

"I've, uh, been taking the elevator." I glanced once at the elevator before adding, "But we should use the stairs." I walked toward him quickly and smiled. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I eagerly slipped into the stairwell.

"Anyway," I said, deciding to return to our previous subject. "I want to make sure that you understand why I won't be your mate if I keep aging. If I were to be your mate and continued getting older at a human pace, I would end up killing you."

"I'm aware, Shy."

"Then why did you say what you did early, about loving me no matter what I looked like."

"Because it was true," he said simply. "And it applies to your true fear as well."

"Don't be corny, Hiei," I muttered, interrupting before he could continue. "It doesn't suit you."

"Hn." We exited the stairwell and headed for the apartment. I could start calling it our apartment again. The thought brought a smile to my lips and I unlocked the door excitedly. We slipped inside and Hiei closed the door behind us, sliding the lock home. Hiei followed me to our room, grabbing the bag of his clothes off the floor and bringing it with him.

It wasn't until we climbed into bed nearly twenty minutes later that it hit me. What if Hiei was expecting to make me his mate right away? I sat up, preventing him from wrapping his arm around me.

"Hiei, I won't become your mate tonight. I want to wait until after we go through with this ritual of yours."

"Lie down," Hiei commanded, though his tone was too amused to be truly effective. "I already suspected that you would want to wait."

Smiling, I sank down beside him, cuddling against his chest. "Goodnight, Hiei. I love you."

"Goodnight."

* * *

AN: I'm aware that this update took longer than normal and I had meant to warn you that it would, but I forgot. I was visiting Rice University this weekend (it was my favorite college so far) and therefore was kind of too busy to write.

Hiei did two noteworthy things in this chapter. One was admitting that he loved Shyle. Does anyone know what the other was? Tell me your guess in a review and I'll tell you if you're right. I'll give the answer next chapter, which by the way will be the last of the story, excluding the epilogue (which I don't think will be as long as normal chapters, but I could be wrong).

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love hearing what you had to say. Tell me what you thought of this chapter.


	33. The One

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Whatever it was that Kurama made you soak in smells really good."

I shot Keiko a look and rolled my eyes. "So says the one that didn't have to sit in cold water for thirty minutes."

"The ritual called for a cleansing bath. You can't be mad at Kurama for that," Keiko admonished.

I chose not to respond, wincing as she pulled particularly hard on my hair. Keiko was French braiding my hair, not because it was necessary for the ritual, but because she had wanted to. When she suggested it as a way to pass the time while we waited for Kurama to be ready for me, I had been excited by the idea. My feelings had already changed significantly and she wasn't even halfway done with the first braid.

The bath we were discussing had been part of the ritual. Kurama had claimed that it was for cleansing purposes, but I thought he got sick pleasure out of making me get all pruny and wrinkled in a tub of water that barely passed for lukewarm. Still I had to admit that the leaves he had crushed and dropped in the water smelled rather nice.

It was currently Hiei's turn to suffer through a very similar bath, while Kurama prepared the next step of the ritual. The redhead was in the kitchen with Yusuke and Kuwabara, who both found the whole ordeal hilarious.

Sighing, I shifted my position on the floor, trying to find a more comfortable way to sit. "Stop it," Keiko scolded. "It's hard enough to braid your hair without you wiggling around."

"Feel free to stop at any time," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest moodily.

"You complain like you're two years old."

Rather than starting an argument, I changed the subject and said, "Do realize what this means for all of us?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The ritual. You do know that it can fix all your worries about mating Yusuke, right?"

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that," she murmured, looping a hair elastic around the end of the braid she had just finished. I expected the sharp tugging to begin on the other side of my head, but it never did. Twisting around, I saw Keiko sitting with her hands in lap, her eyes squeezed closed.

"You okay?"

"Better than," she answered after a second. She opened her eyes, meeting my gaze, and added, "After Kuwabara left your apartment yesterday, he rushed over to the diner and told Yusuke everything. Yusuke waited till that night to tell me about the ritual. And then, well, he proposed. Again."

"And?"

"I said yes."

I whooped and lunged at her, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Congratulations. You're finally engaged."

"You're going to suffocate me, Shy," Keiko managed to choke out. Muttering apologies, I let her go and returned to my position on the floor. I felt her take a hold of my unbraided hair and I frowned, allowing myself an exaggerated sigh. "You're the first person to know."

"Really?" I asked elatedly. "Well then, thanks for telling my first. I'm honored."

"Must you be dorky and ruin the moment?"

"Oh, I must."

She gave my hair a tug and I yelped, attempting to pull away. Waiting until I'd calmed down, Keiko started braiding once more. "Aren't you going to ask any questions? I thought I was going to be facing an inquisition."

"What do you want me to ask? You told me everything important. If you want me to squeal girlishly and ask you about every little detail, you've come to the wrong girl. Might I suggest speaking to Botan? I'm sure she can give you the reaction you were hoping for."

"Your sarcasm is entirely unappreciated," Keiko informed me, no doubt glaring at the back of my head.

"That's a shame."

"Aren't you wondering what I'm going to tell my parents? Since, you know, they might notice if I stop aging."

"You've brought up an interesting point, which I honestly hadn't been wondering. But do not fret because you have officially aroused my curiosity," I replied cheekily.

Ignoring my obnoxious behavior, Keiko said, "I'm going to tell them the truth, tell them all about demons and the Makai." She paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "Yusuke and I are going to go see them together. We'll tell them about the engagement and then we'll explain everything else."

"I'm proud of you," I murmured, finally acting serious. "You finally said yes to Yusuke and you're going to tell your parents." I smiled. "Hiei would be pissed if he knew he was helping so many people."

"Yeah," Keiko agreed, giggling at the idea. "He even ended up helping Kuwabara. I think you traumatized the big guy by telling him that he would kill Yukina. He can't wait for Kurama to help him and Yukina perform the ritual."

"He's such a loser."

"Shy," Keiko snapped, but the reprimand fell flat since she was still laughing.

She finished the second braid and tied it off quickly. I leapt to my feet and headed for the mirror, eager to check out my hair. Running my fingers over the smooth, tight braids, I smiled. "Can you believe that this time tomorrow I'll be Hiei's mate?"

"I'm just glad you guys were able to work this out. You were miserable ever since you two broke up."

"Sorry about that," I apologized, turning around to face her. "I didn't mean to be a downer or anything."

"Don't be silly, Shy. If you'd been happy, I would have been worried. You had told me you loved Hiei. I knew better than to expect you to be your normal self after breaking up with him, which only served to make me even more thankful when you held it together while we were captives."

"If you thank me again, I swear I'll beat you up. Or better yet, I'll get Hiei to beat you up," I threatened, grinning despite my words.

She shook her head and stood up. "Somehow I doubt that'll happen. But, just to make sure, I won't thank you, alright? Happy now?"

"I'd be happier if I knew what this ritual entailed." Kurama and Hiei had both decided to keep me in the dark about the specifics of the ritual and all the waiting was starting to aggravate me, not to mention make me nervous.

"Don't be so impatient." Keiko walked to my side and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "I never would have thought you would want to rush into something like this. Sometimes it's good to wait."

"Oh, shove off," I snapped, slipping out from beneath her arm. "I mean, seriously, every second that passes is a second that I age faster than Hiei."

"Twenty minutes won't make a difference and, even if it did, the difference would be almost impossible to notice."

"So when's your wedding?" I asked.

Keiko frowned at the out of the blue question. "We don't have an exact date yet, but hopefully within the next few months."

"Why so soon?"

"We don't see the point in waiting."

"And that is how you prove a point without saying a word," I said smugly, smirking at her.

"I'd just like to point out that you did say a word, quiet a few in fact." She dodged my half-hearted slap and dove onto my bed in the midst of a giggle fit. "What's with the violence?"

A knock at the door prevented me from answering. I turned to the open doorway and beamed when I saw Kuwabara. "Nice hair," he said, raising an eyebrow at the braids. He moved into the room, joining Keiko on the bed. "Kurama's almost ready."

"It's about freaking time," I growled. "I'm going to go crazy if I have to wait much longer."

Kuwabara shrugged carelessly and flopped backwards, staring up at the ceiling. "If I had realized what would happen once we introduced you to Hiei, I would have done it way earlier."

"What do you mean?" Keiko asked.

"Well, it's only because Shy and Hiei started dating that we learned about this ritual. I would have gone ahead and mated Yukina without ever realizing that I would end up being the death of her. At least this way we can fix it. The ritual will allow us to bind my lifespan to hers and prevent her untimely death."

"That's kind of what I don't get about all this," Keiko said. "Hiei must have known about the ritual already, right? I mean, how else could he have found that book as fast as he did?" She glanced at me uneasily and continued, "So why didn't he tell us about it years ago?"

My eyes widened and I realized that Keiko had just raised a very good question. "Um, I'm not sure."

"The answer to that question is very simple." The voice came from the doorway and my gaze snapped to the speaker. Hiei stood in the open door, leaning against the frame, a towel wrapped around his waist. Keiko blushed and looked away, obviously uncomfortable with the fact that he was clad only in a towel. "I had only heard of the ritual in passing and was not sure that it truly existed. I saw no need to get your hopes up."

Pushing away from the doorframe, he walked quickly to the bureau, grabbed clothes from within the drawers, and headed back into the bathroom.

"Well, that was odd," Kuwabara whispered.

I snorted and started laughing, lying down on my already crowded bed. "I don't think Keiko will ever go back to her normal color. Look at her," I commanded, jabbing Kuwabara in the ribs. "She's the color of Kurama's hair."

Keiko reached over Kuwabara to whack me lightly on the arm, but didn't argue with me. "I can't believe he came in here wearing only a towel."

Her astonished words sent me into another bout of laughter. When I finally calmed down, I said, "Tell Kuwabara your big news."

"You have news?"

Keiko sighed. "Well, um, last night Yusuke proposed to me again and I said yes."

"What?" Kuwabara yelled, jumping to his feet. "How could Urameshi not tell me that?" He bounded into the hallway and disappeared from my sight. A fraction of a second later, there was a loud thump followed by a groan of pain. "Sorry, Kurama. I didn't see you there."

"That's quite alright. No harm done," Kurama replied.

I raised an eyebrow at Keiko, who shrugged in response. Kurama appeared in the doorway a few seconds later, rubbing his butt, and I realized what had happened. "He knocked you over?" I asked, barely containing my amusement.

"Plowed may be a better word," he answered, smiling ruefully. "I'm ready for you if you'd like to begin."

"Heck yeah, I do," I said, jumping to my feet. He chuckled and turned back to the hallway, returning to the living room. Keiko stood up and looped her arm through mine, towing me after Kurama. Excitement rolled over me, causing my pulse to quicken and my heart to pound in my ears. Smiling like an idiot, I practically skipped down the hallway.

The guys were waiting for us in the living room. Kurama stood beside the coffee table, on which sat the concoctions he'd spent the last hour preparing. Yusuke and Kuwabara were sitting on the couch, bickering over the fact that Yusuke hadn't told Kuwabara about his engagement.

I spotted Hiei last. He was standing at the window, facing out in a position that reminded me of the night he had dropped off the book. As Keiko and I entered the room, he turned to face us. I pulled free of Keiko and joined him at the window.

Resting my head against his shoulder, I wrapped an arm around his waist. Smirking faintly, he pulled me to him and leaned down to kiss me roughly. Yusuke whistled from his seat on the couch and Hiei broke the kiss, shooting the hanyou an annoyed look. I rolled my eyes, but otherwise ignored Yusuke. "Are you ready?" I asked.

"Hn, as ready as I'll ever be." He glanced once out the window before returning his gaze to me. "You're sure you want to do this?"

"Don't ask me that again," I warned. "Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't be so excited to do it if I wasn't."

"Come here, you two," Kurama interrupted. "I need you over here for the ritual."

Grinning, I tugged Hiei to the coffee table and stood before Kurama. "Okay, now what?"

"Drink this," he instructed. Kurama picked two glasses up from the table and handed them to us. I wrinkled my nose at the smell coming from my cup, but put it to my lips and drained it anyway. Gagging and choking, I slammed the glass back down on the table.

"What the hell was that?" I demanded.

"That will cleanse your system in much the same way as the bath cleansed your body," Kurama answered. "We will have a ten minute wait while the drink does its job. Feel free to take a seat until we can continue."

I groaned but let Hiei pull me to the armchair, where he settled me in his lap. "Ten minutes is not so long," he murmured in my ear. "You can wait."

Yusuke grinned at me and wiggled his eyebrows teasingly. "Is someone impatient? I thought you would have more patience than you do." He paused for a second, apparently thinking. "Although, maybe you're just so impatient because you're eager to get Hiei in the sack."

Hiei's chest vibrated against my back as he growled, his irritation getting the better of him. "Watch what you say," he snarled.

"You pissed off the shrimp," Kuwabara said, speaking as though he had just made a world changing discovery. "I'd sleep with one eye open if I were you."

"Nah, Hiei will be too busy to waste time trying to kill me," Yusuke replied, smirking wickedly. "After all, he and Shy have some business to take care of. Under the sheets, if you know what I mean."

"Is it necessary for you to be so immature?" Keiko asked. "I apologize for his behavior since he certainly won't apologize for himself." She huffed and eyed Yusuke disapprovingly.

"Aw, babe, don't get angry," he whined. "I was only kidding."

She ignored him and grabbed the clicker, turning on the television. It was only after she began surfing the channels that she realized Kurama might not want the television to be on. "Do you mind?" she asked, gesturing toward the screen with the clicker.

"No, it's not a problem. But enough time has passed for us to continue with the ritual. Hiei and Shy, would you please join me once more?"

"Sure," I answered, leaping from Hiei's lap. Stopping at Kurama's side, I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet and studied the table, trying to figure out what we needed to do next.

Hiei stood at my side and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Relax," he reminded me.

Rolling my eyes, I asked, "So? Now what?"

Kurama chucked. "May I see your right hands?" Hiei and I each extended our hands palm upward to Kurama. He picked a bowl up off the table and, using a small brush, smeared a thin layer of clear paste across our palms. After returning the bowl to its previous spot, Kurama instructed us to wash our palms in a bowl that seemed to be filled with a similar mixture to the one we had bathed in.

"Dry your hands and then hold them out once more," Kurama said, handing me a hand towel. I dried my hand quickly and gave the towel to Hiei. When he was done with the towel, Hiei dropped it on the table and extended his hand, which I took as a cue to do the same.

My eyes widened as I watched Kurama pick up a sharp looking knife from the coffee table. The redhead plucked a piece of hair and pressed it to the blade lightly, testing its sharpness. The hair split in half almost immediately upon contact with the knife.

Needless to say, the knife was sharp.

"This will sting," Kurama warned. Without giving me a chance to respond, Kurama drew the knife across my palm in two quick slashes, one from my pointer finger to the left side of my wrist and the other from my pinkie finger to the right side so that the two crossed in the middle of my hand. I bit my lip against the quick flare of pain, knowing that it was nothing compared to my broken ankle.

Kurama repeated the process on Hiei's hand and then guided our hands together, instructing us to entwine our fingers and press our palms tightly to one another. The contact increased the stinging pain in my palm, but I continued to ignore it.

I met Hiei's calm gaze, letting his strength reassure me. I could hear Kurama talking, but his words were nothing more than a buzz in my ears. A drop of blood leaked from between our palms, making its way down my forearm. Even as I watched the droplet, Kurama laid the hand towel on the floor between our feet in order to catch any blood.

The time we spent standing there, our hands clasped, felt endless. At last, Kurama's hand was on my wrist, guiding my hand away from Hiei's. His words finally filtered through and I was able to make out the last of a sentence, "– long enough."

"What?" I mumbled, staring at my blood smeared hand.

"That's long enough," Kurama repeated. "There are only two steps left." He picked up yet another bowl, this one filled with a strange, purple ointment, and used a new brush to cover each of the cuts on my hand.

I frowned when he placed the bowl back on the coffee table without using the ointment on Hiei. "Wait. What about Hiei?"

"This is what binds your lifespan to Hiei's. If I were to use it on him, it would counteract what I did to yours, negating the entire ritual."

"Oh."

Kurama smiled and picked a roll of bandages. "Now all that's left is to wrap your hand."

"But it's covered in blood."

"Yes, it's meant to be," he answered, beginning to wrap my right hand. "The effects of the ritual will take some time to set in and the ointment needs to remain untouched for a little while. Don't worry; you can take the bandage off when you go to bed."

"Who says she's going to bed?" I had forgotten Yusuke was even in the room until he spoke. "I doubt Hiei plans on letting her sleep." The fire demon in question swore and lunged at Yusuke, who leapt over the back of the couch, barely avoiding Hiei's fist.

Unfazed by their antics, Kurama said, "Hiei on the other hand is free to wash his hand immediately, though he appears preoccupied."

"That was it?" Kuwabara asked, voicing the question I'd been thinking.

I'd expected something a bit more extravagant, something involving weird chanting and strange black mage. At the very least, a show of demon energy. But there had been nothing of the sort. The most exciting part was watching Kurama slice a piece of hair in half.

"That's it," Kurama replied. He began to collect his assorted bowls and brushes, bringing them into the kitchen and washing them in the sink.

"It was rather anticlimactic," I muttered, dropping into a seat on the armchair after deeming the couch unsafe. Yusuke was using it to keep Hiei at bay, always staying on the side opposite the circling fire demon.

"The dramatics aren't important," Kurama said, sounding far wiser than I had ever heard him. "The effect is all that matters."

* * *

My eyes fluttered open slowly and I rolled onto my back. Sitting up, I slid out of Hiei's grip and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. It was only once I was standing that I realized I was completely and totally naked.

I grabbed the first piece of clothing I could find, which happened to be Hiei's shirt, and tugged it over my head. The shirt fell to just under my butt and I deemed it enough covering for me to wear to the bathroom. After all, the apartment was empty except for me and the still sleeping Hiei, meaning that there was no one to see my partially clothed body.

I slipped across the hall into the bathroom, padding softly so that I wouldn't wake Hiei. Forcing myself to go about my normal routine, I refused to look in the mirror until I was done with everything else.

After nearly ten minutes of self-induced torture, I glanced at my reflection. I took my time studying my face, looking for any changes other than my slightly swollen lips and mussed hair. Satisfied that I looked exactly as I always had, I reached up to pull down the collar of Hiei's shirt, exposing my right shoulder and, more importantly, the juncture of my neck and collarbone.

Letting out the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding, I traced the mark on my neck with my free hand. It was a simple bite mark, nothing spectacular, but I stared at it until I was sure I'd memorized it perfectly.

I then turned my attention to the palm of my right hand and the fresh scar there. The 'X' that the ritual had left behind was already fading to a faint pink whereas the night before it had been a vibrant red. Before leaving, Kurama had told me that it would become so faint that someone who wasn't looking for it would never know it was there.

Smiling faintly, I took one last look in the mirror and left the bathroom. I returned to the bedroom to find Hiei sitting up in bed, waiting for me. My smile widened and I said, "Good morning, firefly."

"Morning, Shy."

* * *

AN: I find the end of this chapter incredibly fitting. Many times in this story I ended a chapter or scene with "Goodnight" so I like that this is ended with "Good morning." I think it's kind of symbolic. I like it so much that I don't really want to write the epilogue I'd been thinking about. Do you guys want me to write the epilogue or leave it as is?

Anyway, no one guessed Hiei's noteworthy action. Honestly, it wasn't very fair to ask you guys to pick it out. In fact, I only even mentioned it because one reviewer picked up on something I had been doing. Up until last chapter Hiei had never referred to Shyle as Shy. Ever. But that changed with the last chapter. Again it was meant to be somewhat symbolic. Up until last chapter Hiei had still thought that he could never love Shy, so calling her by her nickname was a sign of him realizing that he could indeed love. Calling her Shyle had been a way to keep her at a distance; calling her Shy shows that he finally let her into his heart.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys are awesome. So, since this is the last real chapter, I was wondering if you guys would be willing to do something for me. The most reviews for a chapter I've received is thirty-five (which is an awesome amount) and I was hoping you guys would try to beat that. If you beat thirty-five, I'd be willing to consider writing a side-fic of your choice (by side-fic I mean a few Hiei-POV chapters or some related one-shots).

**Remember** to tell me if I should write the epilogue. Also, regardless of the epilogue, I will be adding a chapter that will explain all of the chapter titles so look forward to that.


	34. Where the Story Ends

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

AN: I apologize to anyone who was hoping this was an epilogue because it is not. I told everyone who had reviewed that I decided against an epilogue. The current ending is perfect and I honestly didn't have much of an idea for the epilogue so I saw no need to write one.

This chapter is the explanation of the chapter titles that I promised (sorry it took so long to get out, but I really didn't want to write it). The formatting is kind of strange, which I apologize for, but fanfiction messed with my format and I really didn't want to sit here and attempt to fix it. The way this works is pretty easy. I gave the chapter title and the song's artist in case you wanted to listen to any of the songs. I also included why I picked the song which could be for its meaning, title, or lyrics. And finally, I explained why each song fits.

* * *

**_Chapter 1:_** Unmistakable

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Meaning  
_  
Reason:_ The idea of the song is that when you find the one you're looking for, you will know for sure that they are the one. Basically, this chapter was a set up chapter and I tried to demonstrate Shyle's misconceptions about relationships, especially her belief that relationships are easy to understand.

_**Chapter 2:**_ I'll Run

_Artist:_ The Cab

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This song is about a guy who is willing to do anything for his girlfriend, which is another of Shy's incorrect beliefs about relationships. In times she realizes that a relationship won't work if only one person makes sacrifices.

_**Chapter 3:**_ Trouble Is

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Meaning and title

_Reason:_ In this chapter, Keiko and Shy discussed her issues with relationships and love, which is what the song is about. This chapter was also named because Mecca makes his first appearance and, obviously, he is what the 'trouble is.'

_**Chapter 4:**_ Face Down

_Artist:_ The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

_Picked for:_ Meaning and title

_Reason:_ This song's meaning fits to an extent since it is about an abusive relationship, although Shy and Mecca clearly weren't in a relationship. But more importantly, the title fits because Shy hit her face on the counter, which was inspired by of the song's title. Get it? She landed 'face down.'

_**Chapter 5:**_ We All Roll Along

_Artist:_ The Maine

_Picked for:_ Meaning and title

_Reason:_ This song is about friends, which is why it fit this chapter perfectly. I used the chapter to demonstrate the characters' friendships. As for why the title fit, the chapter advances the story, moving the characters on to a new location.

_**Chapter 6:**_ Risky Business

_Artist:_ The Cab

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ Shy committed some 'risky business' by asking Hiei to stay out of her mind. She hadn't been sure how well he was going to take it.

_**Chapter 7:**_ Can't Take It

_Artist:_ The All-American Rejects

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ Named simply because Shy was losing patience with Hiei and his presence after each of her runs.

_**Chapter 8:**_ Let It Roll

_Artist:_ All Time Low

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This was another chapter that revolved around a friendship, this time Shy and Kuwabara, rather than the whole group. There really isn't much to the choice other than it being about friends hanging out.

_**Chapter 9:**_ You Can Let Go

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ During this chapter, Kurama convinces Shy to tell her parents about the Makai by using the argument that they will love her no matter what she says or does, which happens to be the meaning of the song.

_**Chapter 10:**_ Say Anything (Else)

_Artist:_ Cartel

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ Shy spends much of this chapter trying to figure out how to talk to Hiei and her parents. So, basically, the title is a reference to the difficult conversations Shy has to face.

_**Chapter 11:**_ Weird World

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ Honestly, I struggled picking a title for this chapter. I decided on this one in the end because Shy tells her parents about the three worlds, which was no doubt weird for them. As I said, I struggled.

_**Chapter 12:**_ Up Against the Wall

_Artist:_ Boys Like Girls

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ In this chapter, Hiei puts Shy on the spot by asking her some rather difficult questions, in other words putting her back 'against the wall.' I had another reason that had to do with the lyrics, but I can't remember what it was so yeah… Sorry about that.

_**Chapter 13:**_ Weightless

_Artist:_ All Time Low

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ Yes, I imagined this to be the song playing in the car ride to the restaurant, but I chose it for another reason as well. The song perfectly describes Shy's desire to get the hell out of Genkai's. She feels confined and trapped staying at the shrine and can't wait to leave, to feel 'weightless.'

_**Chapter 14:**_ I Must Be Dreaming

_Artist:_ The Maine

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ Twice in this chapter Hiei does something that Shy can't quite understand or believe. First he growls at Daisuke and then he sleeps with his arm wrapped around her. Hence the idea that she 'must be dreaming.'

_**Chapter 15:**_ Kill Me in a Record Shop

_Artist:_ Boys Like Girls

_Picked for:_ Lyrics

_Reason:_ The first line of the song is "Your kiss will be the ultimate," which makes my reason for choosing this one rather obvious. This chapter contains Shy and Hiei's first kiss. It was one of the few titles that I had picked out well in advance.

_**Chapter 16:**_ All at Once

_Artist:_ The Fray

_Picked for:_ Meaning and lyrics

_Reason:_ I think that this song fits Hiei incredibly well. It describes his quest to find someone who is right for him and his struggle to come to grips with his feelings once he has found that someone. This is the chapter where he and Shy get together and he informs Yusuke that he plans to make her his mate, despite the sacrifices it will require of him.

_**Chapter 17:**_ Fall Away

_Artist:_ The Fray

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This song is about trying to escape from your past, but being unable to do so, which honestly couldn't fit Hiei's situation any better. He reveals to Shy that his past will drive Yukina away and also prevents him from even revealing himself to her thanks to the vow he made when he received his Jagan.

_**Chapter 18:**_ Vegas

_Artist:_ All Time Low

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ Surprise! It's another friendship song. This time around it's some Shy and Keiko bonding time. I was starting to run out of songs about friends and naming chapters like this one was getting really annoying.

_**Chapter 19:**_ The City is At War

_Artist:_ Cobra Starship

_Picked for:_ Lyrics

_Reason:_ Some of the lyrics of this song are in the chapter and, honestly, that's why I named the chapter as I did. Still, the lyrics do fit the situation well and I think it works. In case you don't remember, this chapter is the one where Yomi calls Shy a whore.

_**Chapter 20:**_ Dance Hall Drug

_Artist:_ Boys Like Girls

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This is the chapter where Mukuro tells Shy to take her time with Hiei and make sure she is ready before she becomes his mate. The song fits perfectly because it is about girls who are too willing to give up their virginity and end up regretting it. This chapter was easy to name since it was another one that I had picked a title for long in advance.

_**Chapter 21:**_ Five Minutes to Midnight

_Artist:_ Boys Like Girls

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This title is kind of pathetic, but I simply couldn't think of a better one. This chapter is probably the first one where Shy begins to love Hiei and this song is about falling in love… I think. Anyway, like I said, it's pretty pathetic.

_**Chapter 22:**_ Lose It

_Artist:_ Cartel

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ The name of this chapter refers to Hiei's need to keep control over himself. In this chapter, I introduced the idea that Hiei had to strive not to lose control when around Shy because he wanted to give her time before he made her his mate.

_**Chapter 23:**_ Panic

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Title

_Reason:_ So I guess this chapter was named for the title, but I'm not entirely sure. The title certainly fits since Shy was panicked about telling her parents that she was dating Hiei and Kuwabara was panicked about marrying Yukina… so yeah, I'm going to say it was picked for the title.

_**Chapter 24:**_ The Beach

_Artist:_ All Time Low

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ Yet another song about friendship, which was what this chapter was meant to demonstrate. It's too bad it wasn't called 'The Amusement Park' rather than 'The Beach.'

_**Chapter 25:**_ Don't Wanna Lose You Now

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Meaning and title

_Reason:_ This one is pretty easy to understand. Hiei went with Yusuke and Kurama to the Makai, leaving Shy behind, and she is worried about losing Hiei. The song also describes how much she's come to care for Hiei, which is important when she breaks up with him.

_**Chapter 26:**_ On Top of the World

_Artist:_ Boys Like Girls

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This song is about missing your loved one who is far away. Obviously that fits Shy's situation since she is in the Ningenkai and Hiei is in the Makai.

_**Chapter 27:**_ I Want It That Way

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ … honestly I simply couldn't think of a title.

_Reason:_ This chapter was named based solely on the fact that the song was in the chapter. Pathetic, huh? I couldn't for the life of me think of song to use as a title.

_**Chapter 28:**_ Superman

_Artist:_ Five For Fighting

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ I'm scared to even attempt to explain this one. I'm just not sure I can do it justice with words. The song itself is about how even a hero has weaknesses and flaws, which is something Shy realizes. It inspired this story due to the feeling it creates in me when I hear it. The best suggestion I can give so that you will understand why it fits is to listen to the song.

_**Chapter 29:**_ Running From Lions

_Artist:_ All Time Low

_Picked for:_ Meaning and title

_Reason:_ This chapter was very easy to name, in fact I had too many choices, but I decided this one fit best. In this chapter, Shy is trying to run from her feelings for Hiei, case and point being her use of the elevator rather than the stairs. And there is also the fact that she was literally running from a lion in the form of Disma.

**_Chapter 30:_** Free

_Artist:_ Boys Like Girls

_Picked for:_ Meaning and title

_Reason:_ Yes, the title fits this chapter incredibly well since Yomi frees Shy and Keiko from their cell, but that is not the reason I chose this song. The song is about a person who wishes that their ex will move on because they know they will be happier, and better off, that way, which just so happens to be Shy's mentality concerning Hiei. I originally planned for a conversation to occur in this chapter that would convey these feelings, but it never happened. The closest thing to that conversation takes place in the previous chapter. Despite that I still wanted to include this song as a chapter title.

_**Chapter 31:**_ Everything But Mine

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ As I said in my author note at the end of the chapter, this song is an ideal description of what is going on in Hiei's head after Shy breaks up with him. He wants to be with her, no matter the cost, and he will wait if he has to. She had become important to him and he wasn't willing to give up on their relationship.

_**Chapter 32:**_ Skyway Avenue

_Artist:_ We the Kings

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This song is about a couple sacrificing everything to be with one another. "'Cause if you jump, I will jump to," is a line that I think describes Shy and Hiei flawlessly. They plan to bind their lives together so that when one dies the other will as well. Another wonderfully fitting line, "'Cause I will die for you," is pretty self-explanatory.

_**Chapter 33:**_ The One

_Artist:_ Backstreet Boys

_Picked for:_ Meaning

_Reason:_ This song is about being the right 'one' for your partner, which is what Shy is for Hiei. Plus, I think the lyrics depict Hiei perfectly, meaning that the song would be from Shy's point of view describing Hiei. Beyond that, I thought this was the perfect song to end the story with.

* * *

AN: Alright, so I got thirty-five reviews for last chapter, which obviously isn't more than thirty-five, but that's not a big deal. I probably would have written some side-fics even if I'd only gotten one review. I've been inside Shy's head too long to just up and leave. There is a new pole on my profile where you can vote for what side-fics you want to see. If you have any ideas that I did not have, feel free to PM me with them.

I have ideas in the works for my next story. In fact, I already have my original characters designed. It'll be a war story focusing in the Makai, but my OC's will all be members of the Spirit Defense Force, so I was wondering if anyone has some information on the SDF. I plan to do some research, but I'd love to hear things withouth having to search. It'll be a Hiei/OC story so I hope to see some of you there.

I'd just quickly like to say why I wrote this fic. Normally I write characters with spirit or demon energy, so I wanted to challenge myself by writing a human character with no abilities, which is where Shy came in. I also wanted to address the issue of a human having a relationship with a demon, a problem many writers tend to ignore. And finally, I to write a story that cast all of the characters in a postive light, without bashing anyone (aka Kuwabara or Keiko).

And finally, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this story. You all made writing 130,000 words possible. I'd especially like to thank WistfulSin, who reviewed every chapter. I hope to hear from you all in the future.


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